Rob Gronkowski to officially retire from NFL with ceremonial one-day Patriots contract signing

Rob Gronkowski is officially retiring from the NFL, and he is signing a one-day contract to ensure he becomes a “Patriot for life.”

Gronkowski said on “FOX NFL Sunday” that he will ink a one-day contract with the New England Patriots this week to retire as a member of the storied franchise with which he won three of his four Super Bowl rings.

The announcement came as the Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the last team Gronkowski played for alongside Tom Brady and with whom he won Super Bowl LV in 2021, were set to face off against each other. Brady was on the call for that contest alongside Kevin Burkhardt.

The Patriots announced Monday that Gronkowski would sign the one-day contract Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the team’s “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the New York Jets, their AFC East rival.

Gronkowski, 36, began his NFL career in 2010, when the Patriots drafted him 42nd overall in the second round out of Arizona. He spent nine seasons in New England, becoming one of the best tight ends to play the game as he and Brady developed a connection that was a major part of winning those Super Bowls under head coach Bill Belichick.

He had initially said he was hanging up his cleats following the 2018 season, but when Brady moved on from the Patriots to join the Buccaneers, Gronkowski couldn’t resist another opportunity to play with his favorite quarterback in the Sunshine State.

With a loaded Buccaneers squad, Brady and Gronkowski went on to win their final Super Bowl together, where the tight end scored twice at Raymond James Stadium to secure the Vince Lombardi Trophy over the Kansas City Chiefs. It was a 31-9 blowout.

Gronkowski retired after the 2022 season, and Brady followed suit in 2023 after a first-round exit against the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs.

As Gronkowski and Brady remain colleagues on the Fox Sports team, they’re watching the Patriots get back to their old winning ways, like when they were there. A fellow Patriot, head coach Mike Vrabel, is leading the way in his first season in the role.

There is also a new sheriff in town, at least at the quarterback position. Drake Maye, whom the franchise chose third overall out of UNC in 2024, has been playing like an MVP candidate as the team is 8-2 through its first 10 games. He’s third in the NFL in yards (2,555) and tied for third in touchdown passes (19). Maye’s 113.9 quarterback rating is also sixth in the league.

The future is bright for New England, but one of its legends ensured his NFL book closed as a member of the storied franchise.

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