Sports

Rob Gronkowski Reportedly Tells Patriots He Wants To Play Football Again -- For Buccaneers

April 21, 2020 / 4:04 PM EDT / CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- It appears all those Rob Gronkowski comeback stories will come to an end soon. The retired tight end doesn't want to be a retired tight end anymore, reportedly telling the Patriots he'd like to play football again -- with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Update: The Patriots have reportedly traded Gronnkowski and a seventh-round pick to Tampa Bay for a fourth-round selection in this week's draft.

That comes according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, who added that the Patriots and Buccaneers have had some communication about a trade. The Patriots still own Gronkowski's rights following his retirement, so the Buccaneers would have to work out a trade for the tight end if they want him in Brady's offense.

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

The #Patriots and #Bucs have had some communication, from what I'm told. It's not unprecedented — the #Seahawks and #Raiders did a similar trade with Marshawn Lynch. https://t.co/oS3vOXeKC9
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 21, 2020

Rapoport said Gronnkowski could make an official announcement about his comeback desires "soon" and a trade between the Patriots and Bucs could come together within the next 24 hours. The 30-year-old has been hinting at a comeback since he retired in March of 2019, most recently doing so in an interview with Andy Cohen earlier this week.

Tampa currently has two talented tight ends on their roster in O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, though Howard has reportedly been on the trade block ahead of this week's NFL Draft.

Gronkowski retired after a nine-year run with the Patriots. In 115 regular season games, the monstrous tight end caught 521 passes for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns, adding another 81 receptions and 12 touchdowns in 16 postseason games. He won two Super Bowls while in New England.

Now Gronk is apparently looking to add to his Hall of Fame resume with Brady in Tampa Bay.