Rob Gronkowski Reveals How Tom Brady's Retirement Is Affecting His Own Future

Rob Gronkowski seems to be dropping one bombshell after another about potentially retiring from the NFL. That doesn't seem to surprise any of his fans though, as his former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammate Tom Brady also confirmed what everyone suspected about his own retirement. After all, Brady and Gronkowski have had a very close relationship both on and off the field. Gronkowski said back in 2021 that it felt like a "dream" to play with Brady again after they both made the switch to Tampa Bay. He appeared on "The Late Late Show" and told James Corden, "To go play with Tom again, the opportunity was just presentable ... I just felt like it was right to go down there and play. And now to get here, we're going to the Super Bowl, this is what it's all about."

If that weren't enough, Brady has also shown a lot of love towards Gronkowski, calling him one of the most "unique" people he's ever met, per NBC Sports' PFT. He added, "I think everybody wishes in their next life they come back as Rob just because he's got such a great personality about him, just his way of being positive." That said, it seems like Gronkowski may or may not be following in Brady's footsteps regarding his own future in the NFL.

It seems like Rob Gronkowski is still unsure about what to do about his future, even though his longtime teammate Tom Brady has hung up his cleats and is enjoying the good life with his wife Gisele Bundchen and their family. While there's no doubt that things won't be the same for Gronkowski now that Brady is gone, he did tell People, "I was asked that question two days after the [divisional playoffs] game and I said I wouldn't play if the decision was today. And if the decision was again today, it would still be a no."

Of course, that "no" can easily turn into a "yes" in the future, as Gronkowski's retirement status has raised a lot of questions in recent weeks. But then again, Gronkowski does have a valid reason to stay put in Tampa Bay. "The main reason I came down to Tampa was because my mother lives two hours away. She can get to all eight of my home games," he explained on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in May 2020. "Whenever I have days off, she's two hours down the street and I get to see her." Watch this space, as Gronkowski will have to make a decision sooner rather than later.