Legendary Tight End Gronkowski Considered Ending Retirement in November

We may not have heard the last of future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the former Buccaneers tight end contacted the team about a possible return last month but decided to remain retired "for now."

Rob Gronkowski contacted Bucs last month about possible return https://t.co/gApL7vZG1F
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) December 23, 2022

Gronkowski walked off into the sunset with his BFF Tom Brady last offseason after a solid year with the Bucs in which he nabbed 55 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns. After Brady elected to return to the field in 2022, rumors began to swirl that Gronk would follow, but a reunion never materialized.

It's possible that the Bucs' struggles this season were enough to dissuade the five-time Pro Bowler from making a comeback. The 6-8 Bucs rank 28th in scoring this year. They're still the favorites to win a putrid NFC South, but they're unlikely to make much noise in the postseason. The Bucs do not have the look of a party the ever-fun-loving Gronk would be interested in.

Still, today's news suggests Gronk may be amenable to the right situation. Brady is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and ineligible for the franchise tag, so if he can find his way to a team with a real chance at a Super Bowl run, it's possible Gronk could be lured back. The pair were previously linked to the Las Vegas Raiders, but the San Francisco 49ers could make some sense as well.