Rob Gronkowski is stepping away from the game of football after nine seasons with the Patriots. He made the announcement Sunday via Instagram:
Drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Arizona, Gronkowski quickly established himself as one of the most productive tight ends of all-time. As a rookie, Gronkowski caught 42 passes for 546 yards and 10 touchdowns. He quickly proved that was no fluke, posting 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2011.
That sort of stat line became the norm for Gronkowski, who notched 10 or more touchdowns in five of his nine NFL seasons. His four seasons of 1,000 or more yards are tied with Jason Witten and Tony Gonzalez for the most ever by a tight end, and his 17-touchdown 2011 campaign led the league — the only time in NFL history a tight end held that honor.
And while the stats impress as-is, it's important to note Gronkowski only started all 16 games in the season once during his career. With the Patriots, Gronkowski won three Super Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro four times.
As much as his career is characterized by brilliance, it was also plagued by injuries, a fact that undoubtedly led to his early retirement at the age of 29.
HUNTER'S VIEW
Good on ya, Gronk. At this point, Gronkowski has nothing left to prove, and it was obvious throughout the 2018 season that he simply did not have the juice anymore. His injuries finally caught up to him, and he's calling it quits and going out on his terms before it's too late.
As one of the most popular players in the NFL, Gronkowski will have plenty of opportunities to make money and to grow his brand on the silver screen, a decision he's already teased in the past. Whether he can actually act is a different story, but there's no doubt you'll be seeing Gronkowski soon in a theater near you.
