FOXBOROUGH – Rob Gronkowski hasn’t played in the NFL in four years, but he’s always wanted to end his career where it began.
The three-time Patriots Super Bowl champion hoped to sign a 1-day contract with the organization before entering the team’s Hall of Fame. Instead, those plans changed to honor his longtime friend, Susan Hurley.
Hurley passed away on Nov. 1 after a battle with ovarian cancer. The local philanthropist told Gronkowski this summer, while the tight end unveiled a new playground in Boston, she hoped he’d sign a 1-day contract to retire as a Patriot.
On Wednesday, Gronkowski granted his friend’s wish.
“We are 100% here today for her,” Gronkowski said. “No doubt about that... When I first met her and she gave me the opportunity to get bibs to the Boston Marathon and the opportunity to raise money for my foundation, I knew that she was the one... She did an excellent job when working with her for 10 plus years. She made it easy. She ran all the activities, all the events, and she will have a lasting impact forever.”
From 2010 to 2018, Gronkowski transformed the tight end position in New England and throughout the NFL. A five-time Pro Bowler, he also earned first-team All-Pro honors four times and was the 2014 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
At 6-foot-6, 265 pounds, Gronkowski had an otherworldly skill set that made him an impossible player to cover for opposing defenses. The tight end was too big for cornerbacks and too fast for linebackers and safeties.
A member of the Patriots All-2010a Team and All-Dynasty Team, Gronkowski is eligible for the team’s Hall of Fame next year.
“Today we’re going to celebrate one of the greatest ever to wear our Patriots uniform, Rob Gronkowski,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. “His energy, talent, and infectious joy lit up the stadium and inspired Patriots Nation for nearly a decade. Like fans everywhere, I personally love Gronk and I treasure the unforgettable moments we shared.”
A second-round pick in 2010, Gronkowski set multiple NFL records for a tight end in the 2011 season when he finished with 90 receptions, 1327 yards, and 17 receiving touchdowns.
The only thing that held Gronkowski back was injuries. After his record-setting season in 2011, Gronkowski played in 11 games in 2012 (arm injury) and seven games in 2013 (knee injury). He came back to play a full season in 2014, finishing with 82 receptions, 1,124 yards, and 12 touchdowns.
Gronkowski won his first Super Bowl that season en route to earning Comeback Player of the Year honors. The tight end caught six passes for 68 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots Super Bowl XLIX. He said that remains the favorite moment of his NFL career.
“Winning my first Super Bowl here, you know, that was always the ultimate goal,” Gronkowski said. “And that first one will always be my favorite one. And just the feeling and the energy that came with it throughout that whole week after that will be a memory for life. The parade, the duck boats, all that. But winning that first Super Bowl vs. a very solid Seattle Seahawks team when they were going for the repeat. That memory will always, you know, be with me.”
After playing in eight games in 2016 due to a back injury, Gronkowski played in his last two seasons in New England in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, he finished with 69 receptions for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns. The next offseason, Bill Belichick attempted to trade Gronkowski to the Detroit Lions, but the deal didn’t go through due to the tight end threatening to retire.
It’s a good thing that trade didn’t go through as Gronkowski helped the Patriots win their sixth championship. In 2018, in Super Bowl LII, Gronkowski caught six passes for 87 yards, including a 29-yard pass in double coverage to set up Sony Michel’s game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Gronkowski said that remains one of the favorite catches of his storied career. The tight end said he ran the same route one play before and was open, but didn’t get the ball. He knew offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would call the play again.
“I was like, McDaniels is going to call again because I know he knows I was open. He knows I can get open again,” Gronkowski said. “Literally get to the huddle. Same exact play. I go, ‘This one’s coming to me 100%’ and run the route. Tom throws me the bomb, catch it to a 2-yard line, and then we score the very next play for the only touchdown of the game. So that was special.”
Gronkowski briefly retired in 2019, but when Tom Brady left New England, Gronk came out of retirement, asking for a trade to Tampa Bay. The Patriots traded the tight end, with a seventh-round pick, to the Buccaneers for a 2020 fourth-round pick.
Gronkowski spent his final two seasons in Tampa Bay, winning his fourth Super Bowl.
On Wednesday, the tight end returned to where it all began, to end things the right way with the Patriots.
“This means a lot to me, big time, because I’m a New England Patriot. I’m a Patriot for life,” Gronkowski said. “My career started here, and 100% needed to end here. There’s no doubt about that.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.