Rob Gronkowski Says He'd Play With Joe Burrow, Now That Tom Brady's Retired
BOSTON (CBS) -- Rob Gronkowski has long maintained that the only quarterback he'd want to play with is Tom Brady. Rightfully so. The two are arguably the very best to ever play their respective positions, and they've won multiple Super Bowls and enjoyed incredible success during their decade-plus as a teammates.
But now, Brady is retired. (Mostly.) And Gronkowski may not want to stop playing.
With that being the case, Gronk was asked if there's a quarterback in the NFL he'd like to play with. His answer was Joe Burrow.
"I kinda like this young buck quarterback. He's in the Super Bowl now: It's Joe Burrow, man," Gronkowski said while promoting his NFTs this week, as transcribed by the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I watched him in college. I just love the way he presents himself out on the football field. In the pocket, he's just so calm and he just slings it out on the field. ... I just love his swag, too. If I had to pick a quarterback, it'd be the young buck Joe Burrow. He's killing it right now in the game."
Consider that an unofficial offering of Gronkowski's services to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Gronkowski, who will turn 33 years old in March, showed that he's still plenty of capable of being an impact player in the NFL after coming out of retirement to reunite with Brady in Tampa Bay. He played in 28 of a possible 33 regular-season games, catching 100 passes for 1,425 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He also played in six playoff games, catching 17 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scores came in the Bucs' Super Bowl win last year.
Gronkowski is set to become a free agent this winter, and he's stated that his decision to play or retire wouldn't hinge on Brady's decision.
The Bengals got good production out of tight end C.J. Uzomah (49 receptions, 493 yards, five touchdowns) this season, but Gronkowski's presence and blocking ability could be a significant add for a team looking to add a future Hall of Famer to the mix in 2022.
And with Gronkowski having complete control over where he will play if he does play, this one bears watching over the coming months.