While Rob Gronkowski is officially ‘undecided’ on returning for the 2022 NFL season, the expectation remains he’ll be teaming up with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers once again.
The 6-foot-6 tight end has hinted at several possibilities this offseason. When Brady first retired, Gronkowski said he still might keep playing. He even expressed interest in joining the Cincinnati Bengals to catch passes from quarterback Joe Burrow.
With the NFL offseason calendar quickly passing by, Gronkowski remains unsigned. While there is still a possibility he retires before his age-32 season, one NFL insider believes we’ll see the future Hall of Famer back in Tampa Bay.
CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora shares that he fully expects Gronkowski to re-sign with the Buccaneers, with the team bringing its stars back together for another Super Bowl run.
- Rob Gronkowski career earnings: $70.63 million
A decision being drawn out shouldn’t surprise anyone. Tampa Bay begins offseason workouts on April 11 and organized team activities (OTAs) begin in late May or early June. Those are all things Gronkowski would likely prefer to avoid.
Related: 2022 NFL Power Rankings – Outlook for all 32 teams entering summer
The Buccaneers certainly won’t have any issue with a delay before his return. Assuming he does sign a new contract, a one-year deal, expectations should be high once again.
- Rob Gronkowski stats (2021): 55 receptions, 802 receiving yards, six touchdowns (12 games)
Rob Gronkowski closing in on NFL milestones
A healthy version of Gronkowski is still one of the best tight ends in the NFL. While a rib injury cost him multiple games this past season, he played at an extremely high level when he was on the field.
With Antonio Brown gone and Chris Godwin recovering from a torn ACL, Brady needs weapons he can trust. The chemistry between Gronkowski and Brady is one of the reasons they are among the all-time stat leaders at their respective positions.
While he is already cemented as a future Hall of Fame selection, there are opportunities to climb even higher in the NFL record books. Gronkowski is 775 yards shy of surpassing Shannon Sharpe (10,060) on the all-time receiving yards list by tight ends.
- Rob Gronkowski career stats: 621 receptions, 9,285 receiving yards, 92 touchdowns
He is also just eight touchdowns shy of becoming the third tight end in NFL history with 100-plus career touchdowns.
