“Left it All on the Field”: Bucs GM Heaps Massive Praise on Rob Gronkowski After 2nd Retirement

Rob Gronkowski has decided to retire once more. Gronkowski, 33, made his retirement known on social media on Tuesday. After nine seasons and three Super Bowl victories with the New England Patriots, Gronkowski originally announced his retirement in 2019. The promise of reuniting with Brady when the venerable Patriots quarterback joined the Buccaneers prior to the 2020 season enticed him back into the sport.

In their first season together in Florida, the two shared a fourth Super Bowl victory, but they were unable to achieve that feat in 2021 after falling to the eventual champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFC divisional playoffs.

Despite missing five games due to injury in 2021, Gronkowski caught 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns. At Tampa, Gronkowski caught 100 receptions for 1,425 yards and 13 touchdowns in 28 games over the course of two seasons. Gronkowski has 621 catches for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns in 143 games throughout the course of his career.

Jason Licht praises Rob Gronkowski

“Rob is a true professional who left it all on the field for us the past two seasons and helped establish a championship culture in our building,” Licht said in a statement released by the team via ProFootballTalk.

Statement from Bucs GM Jason Licht on Rob Gronkowski’s retirement… “While his on-field accomplishments will surely earn him a gold jacket and a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it is his humble attitude and team-first approach to the game that truly defined his career.” pic.twitter.com/kQ4G3IvfZR

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) June 21, 2022

“He played a crucial part in our Super Bowl LV championship season in 2020 and battled through a number of injuries last year while on the way to one of the most productive receiving yardage seasons in his 11-year career. It is always difficult to see a great player walk away from the game when he is still enjoying that kind of success, but the overwhelming emotions I feel today are gratitude and respect for one of the greatest tight ends who ever played the game. While his on-field accomplishments will surely earn him a gold jacket and a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it is his humble attitude and team-first approach to the game that truly defined his career.”

With 45 receptions for 623 yards and seven touchdowns throughout the regular season, Gronkowski was a key member of the 2020 Buccaneers. In the 2020 postseason, he went on to catch eight receptions for 110 yards and two scores. In Super Bowl LV, both TD receptions occurred. Gronkowski only participated in 12 games in 2021, yet he managed to catch 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns.