Does Anyone Believe Gronk Is Done?
June 23rd, 2022
“Mmmmmm, Gronk like tuddies, Tommy.”
Browsing through the interwebs and listening to SiriusXM Radio, it doesn’t seem like there are a whole lot of folks who are shoveling dirt on the career of foot-rubbing tight end Rob Gronkowski.
However serious Gronk may have been when he announced on Instagram he’s retired, his agent, oily Drew Rosenhaus, threw cold water all over the notion. Rosenhaus told the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio, along with BSPN’s Adam Schefter, that he can easily see Gronk rejoining Tom Brady midseason.
You call that a retirement announcement?
Far and wide Joe is noticing folks highly skeptical of Gronk’s retirement-maybe. Joe was listening to the music channel Lithium on SiriusXM yesterday when host Steve Covino openly mocked Gronk’s retirement-maybe.
“Does anyone think he’s actually retiring?” Covino, a sometimes sports radio host, asked? Covino then said he can easily see Brady running into Gronk at a Bay area beach and envisioned the following conversation:
Tom Brady: Dude. Gronk, how you doin?’
Rob Gronkowski: Bro, Camille and I are just hanging out, getting some sun, chillin.’
Brady: What are you up to these days?
Gronk: Not much bro, just hangin.’ Kinda bored.
Brady: C’mon Gronk, let’s go get some tuddies. You want to catch some tuddies? Let’s f@cking go!
Gronk: Catch some tuddies? I can catch some tuddies!
Brady: Let’s get some tuddies!
Gronk: Let’s get some tuddies!
And Covino added, “And then Gronk will rejoin Brady and the Bucs and we can knock off this BS retirement talk.”
Yesterday, even Florio himself stopped just short of calling Gronk’s second retirement BS.
For the first time that I can remember, a player’s agent publicly called B.S. on his client. So if Drew Rosenhaus doesn’t believe Gronk when he says he’s retiring, why should anyone else?
Rosenhaus says he believes Gronk will be back, this season or next season. Our guess is that Gronk won’t be back at the outset of 2022 training camp in part (if not completely) because of the financial offers the Bucs have made.
As Florio pointed out correctly, Rosenhaus doesn’t just say things out of the blue. He very likely knew exactly when Gronk was going to release his announcement on Instagram and Rosenhaus was ready to call/text/email Florio/Schefter in mere minutes. This was not spontaneous.
And Joe will take this a step further: Gronk and Rosenhaus were playing bad cop/good cop. Gronk was the bad cop with the bad news; Rosenhaus was the good cop with the good news.
As Florio perfectly summarized, follow the money.
Joe’s long-held belief contintues: Gronk simply doesn’t want to get beat up in July and August.
Once again we’ve got huge, breaking #NFL news while we’re on the air — this time it’s @RobGronkowski announcing his retirement… again:#NFL #GoBucs #Patriots pic.twitter.com/JniIuW5Mc5
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) June 21, 2022
June 23rd, 2022 at 5:28 am
I don’t.
June 23rd, 2022 at 5:32 am
Tom should personally share his salary at the Fox with Gronk, then he will get another SB and A great career at the Fox.
June 23rd, 2022 at 5:36 am
Tom should personally share his salary at the Fox with Gronk, then he will get another SB and A great career at the Foc
June 23rd, 2022 at 6:19 am
Well we just cut Pinion and saved almost 3 million against the cap. Succup next? The money may just be there.
June 23rd, 2022 at 6:39 am
Suh.
June 23rd, 2022 at 6:42 am
I think he’ll be back. I didn’t believe TB12 when he retired. I thought to myself no way TB12 goes out like that after the rams game. Having a hard time believe gronk will stay retired.
June 23rd, 2022 at 6:50 am
Florio is spot on. When Njoku gets $14m/yr and the Bucs ask Gronk to play well below that number, he retires. Gronk had already stated he would either play for the Bucs or retire. When the $ lines up with the market and the weather cools he’ll be monster spiking again.
June 23rd, 2022 at 6:56 am
He’ll be back in 40 days
June 23rd, 2022 at 6:57 am
Technically this is the third time he’s either retired or threatened same. Bellicheat tried to trade him to the Lions after.. 2018(?)
June 23rd, 2022 at 7:00 am
#8 Says:
June 23rd, 2022 at 6:39 am
Suh.
You’ll shoot your eye out!
June 23rd, 2022 at 7:07 am
Gronk isn’t gone…..neither is our Gronk-a-day…..
June 23rd, 2022 at 7:09 am
Time for another poll? Done or not.
June 23rd, 2022 at 7:22 am
Has any enterprising reporter asked Gronk what his Doctors are telling him? That of course is privileged information under HIPPA so we’ll never learn from the Docs but Gronk was candid during an interview in New England so perhaps a simple question is appropriate.
Gronk..what are your Doctors telling you about your physical condition and long term health risks if you continue to play?
Like everybody here I am a football fan and in particular a Bucs fan. I’m also a human being and my humanity trumps my “fandom”.
I’ve mentioned the obvious threat…CTE…Does Gronk wish to recognize his children and grandkids? The day of the week? Am I the only one who has seen the video reports of the MANY former players who have paid that price.
But it’s not just CTE. Scot Brantley was a local hero for his bone crushing hits as a Gator and a Buc. He destroyed people! Sadly he destroyed himself as well. Early onset of Alzhimers, two strokes…his life now is not good!
He was featured on an episode of Real Sports on HBO titled “Unsettled” concerning disabled NFL players unable to receive payments from the NFL concussion settlement.
Is this an absolute in Gronk’s case? Of course not. But it’s happened enough to create seriouis concern in any sentient human being. ALL the science says the more head trauma the greater the chance. Gronk already had 20 concussions, five of them total knockouts before he even got here. Give it up Gronk and save the rest of your life!
June 23rd, 2022 at 7:23 am
Another point to consider, Licht would or could have used Gronks salary cap savings to keep Suh. Instead he signed Hicks. Meaning that money is sitting there waiting for Gronk to return. But if Licht uses it to sign a free agent then you will know
June 23rd, 2022 at 8:03 am
When a slimy, reputed BS artist, calls BS on his own clients retirement announcement. Are we forgetting this guy was the inspiration for that chump Bob Sugar?
June 23rd, 2022 at 8:06 am
He’s taking some performance enhancing supplements right now, hence the ‘retirement’ … Tom did the same earlier this year. Once Gronk is able to cycle off, he will unretire.
June 23rd, 2022 at 8:12 am
Hes taking a year off to play for the Dolphins 2023 with Toms swan song.
June 23rd, 2022 at 8:13 am
Its all in the grand plan to be the only QB to take three teams to the Superbowl.
June 23rd, 2022 at 8:19 am
All the speculation is not the way to prepare for the upcoming season.
Bottom line is Bucs need another serviceable veteran at TE and another quality WR.
June 23rd, 2022 at 8:26 am
As we get into September he will probably command more money
June 23rd, 2022 at 8:36 am
He’ll be back for the Play Offs
June 23rd, 2022 at 8:49 am
“Joe’s long-held belief contintues: Gronk simply doesn’t want to get beat up in July and August.”
But he was already a free agent, under no obligation to participate in anything, so why retire?
As I said in comments on another article, I’m of the opinion he announced his retirement so the rookies will (hopefully) work a lot harder because they know they have big shoes to fill. Yeah, they’re going to work hard anyway, but knowing Gronk isn’t coming back will probably give them an extra spark. And I’m sure Brady is okay with this. He’s going to use it as he helps develop the new tight ends.
June 23rd, 2022 at 9:15 am
As with all football players who retire while still in demand, there is a chance he’ll come back.
Bear in mind, Gronk did not need to retire. He was a free agent. While in that status, he needn’t even file retirement papers, so don’t use that as proof. Gronk could have just kept mum and said the decision was on the table, and kept that unsigned status in place for the next two years.
Could the “right” amount of money entice Gronk? Sure, everyone has a price. This isn’t an ethics question. I’m sure Licht had an offer, and he might have raised it. It wasn’t enough.
In terms of management, Licht cannot afford to stand pat. Hoping that Gronk returns isn’t management, it’s stupidity. Brate is incapable of picking up those lost yards and TDs, and if you think a rookie TE can do it, you’re living in an altered state of reality. Licht now needs to find a productive, vet TE. That will require draft capital, and cap space to absorb that contract. He has roughly four weeks to get it done, as that TE will need to report to camp.
The first four games will be very rough. The only starting WR with chemistry with Brady will be Evans. The only TE (who isn’t even a starter) will be Brate, who only produces 250 to 300 yards a season. That’s showing up to a gunfight armed with a pocket knife.
June 23rd, 2022 at 9:44 am
If Gronk is retired for twice as long as TB12, plus one day, he’ll be back one day before regular season (Sunday games).
June 23rd, 2022 at 10:28 am
Does anyone know if Kieft ran a 40 yard dash? And if so was it measured with a stopwatch instead of a sundial? Like others, I’m hoping this kid turns out to be the hidden gem of all hidden gems.
June 23rd, 2022 at 11:02 am
Goatfarmer Forty Yard Dash 4.98 SECS
June 23rd, 2022 at 11:48 am
Let it go. Until he unretires, it’s over with. Not falling for fake news nationally or locally.
June 23rd, 2022 at 12:36 pm
1987 – seriously?!
4.97? So, sundial.
Damn, I think Wirfs is faster than that! I was hoping for 4.8. Maybe he can pick up a tenth or two in an offense that wants him to catch more than 6 passes in his career.
June 23rd, 2022 at 12:44 pm
@Goatfarmer
As I mentioned earlier, don’t pin your production hopes on Kieft. His ceiling projects to be someone who will be used as a blocker, and will be targeted once or twice a game, tops, to keep the defense honest.
June 23rd, 2022 at 1:14 pm
Passing is right, if Gronk didn’t want to go to camp, and or play the first couple months of the season, he need not have retired. I always thought he’d remain unsigned through camp, because the CBA doesn’t allow teams to cancel the fines for non attendance. I really think he’s done. If he does come back, It makes him look foolish, and uncommitted to his teammates. Everyone else is playing a full season.
June 23rd, 2022 at 1:44 pm
Its dead Joe.
June 23rd, 2022 at 2:34 pm
“Next season”
Like joining Brady elsewhere?
June 23rd, 2022 at 3:53 pm
All this retiring and un-retiring by Gronk and Brady is starting to make me dislike them. Making me feel a little used.
June 23rd, 2022 at 5:10 pm
As many in here are saying, it doesn’t matter. He is out until he isn’t. You don’t wait for a guy, no matter who he is. Waiting is what has already cost them a shot at a legit starting TE months ago. Who should have been brought in anyway, given that the cupboard is empty: Brate is a problem, and rookies are rookies.
Licht needs to move right now. And whoever it is needs to practice with TB12 ASAP.
Gronk can do whatever he wants, irrelevant.
Realistically, who is out there who can catch and block on a top NFL level, who can be pried away from another team? The idea of an Ebron/Rudolph/Cook, who have to be begged to make a block, does not fill me with confidence.
That is not how you compete for a SB, an idea that is dimmer by the day.
June 23rd, 2022 at 7:26 pm
steele, yes. Yes. And yes.
June 23rd, 2022 at 10:13 pm
the problem is if brady is actually telling him to sit on his arse this year unless fully needed down the home stretch for a superbowl run…
and…
meanwhile tom is saying “fugg it stay home, rest up a year, and come with me to miami or wherever i land for one more 2 year stint”