Reports: New England Patriots Trade Retired TE Rob Gronkowski To Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Apr 21, 2020, 2:22 PM | Updated: 2:28 pm
Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts with Rob Gronkowski #87 during the third quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The New England Patriots traded the rights to retired tight end Rob Gronkowski to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to multiple reports.
Gronkowski last played in February 2019 during New England’s Super Bowl LIII victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
The tight end sat out the entire 2019 season. Gronkowski spent the last year as a football analyst for FOX Sports and as a wrestler in WWE. He is the current WWE 24/7 Champion.
“Trade, pending physical: Patriots are trading TE Rob Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick to the Buccaneers for a fourth-round pick, source tells ESPN,” tweeted ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Trade, pending physical: Patriots are trading TE Rob Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick to the Buccaneers for a fourth-round pick, source tells ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 21, 2020
“If the team was struggling or they needed him at some point next year, and let’s just say hypothetically Tom Brady gave him a call and said ‘Rob, I need you.’ I wouldn’t be shocked if he came back to play a few games,” Gronkowski’s agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN in 2019.
Sources: Retired #Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski has told New England that he’s interested in playing football again — and would want to do it with the #Bucs and QB Tom Brady. A trade would have to be worked out for this to happen.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 21, 2020
Gronkowski’s interest in Tampa Bay isn’t a surprise. His former Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, left New England after two decades and signed with the Buccaneers in March.
“[Tom] Brady’s my quarterback. That’s all,” Gronkowski said in 2018 after he was nearly traded by the Patriots to the Detroit Lions. “Wasn’t going anywhere without Brady.”
Two years ago before the draft, the Patriots agreed to trade Rob Gronkowski to the Lions, but Gronk informed them he’d opt for retirement over playing with a QB other than Tom Brady. Now after a year of retirement, Gronk hoping for a pre-draft trade to reunite with his former QB.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 21, 2020
Gronkowski has one year and $10 million left on his contract.
Patriots and Buccaneers have been discussing a trade for retired TE Rob Gronkowski, per league sources. Gronkowski has one year and $10 million left on his contract. But the two sides are, and have been talking, prior to Thursday’s draft.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 21, 2020
During his NFL career, Gronkowski played in 115 games over nine seasons with the Pats. He’s recorded 521 receptions, 7,861 yards, and 79 touchdowns.
He is a three-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Pro Bowl player. He was recently named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
