Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is coming back to sports, only this time it will be with WWE. Gronkowski is reportedly finalizing a deal to join WWE, per ESPN’s Marc Raimondi.
Gronkowski is deep in talks with the wrestling company and could appear on WWE SmackDown by March 20, per ESPN. The 30-year-old has made WWE appearances in the past, including in WrestleMania 33 in 2017, but will now be much more involved.
The former NFL star and Patriots’ icon teased an NFL comeback this past season, even preparing a big announcement for NFL fans. However, he ultimately confirmed that he wasn’t returning to the Patriots in 2019 and was just promoting a CBD deal.
While some had hoped Gronkowski might return to the NFL in 2020, a move that might help the Patriots convince Tom Brady to stay, the upcoming WWE deal might rule that out.
Gronkowski retired as a three-time Super Bowl champion and earned first-team All-Pro honors five times. He finished his career with 79 total touchdowns and 7,861 receiving yards in nine seasons and will eventually be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.