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The second-annual Tom Brady retirement didn’t end after 41 days this time around, and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski isn’t surprised.
Gronkowski previously reacted with surprise to the latest round of Brady comeback rumors, which started with Rich Eisen on the “Rich Eisen Show” last week. Eisen said he heard rumblings about Brady as a possibility for the Miami Dolphins. Scott Zolak of 98.5 The Sports Hub doubled down on the rumor after Brady’s humorous tweet about being too busy for a comeback due to adopted kittens.
“That was a surprise when I saw that news. It actually put me on my toes. I was very shocked when I saw that. I feel like Tom is definitely totally done playing,” Gronkowski told Boston.com. “I haven’t talked to him or anything about it. I’m not speaking for Tom. Just from everything I saw from his retirement video and everything I just feel like he is just done playing football. It was just very shocking though when I heard that news the other day.”
Gronkowski knows Brady well from 11 seasons together — nine in New England and two in Tampa Bay. They won three Super Bowls together with the Patriots followed by one with the Bucs.
Gronkowski and Brady Both Retired Twice
Last June, Gronkowski retired for a second time and decided to stay retired despite occasional toying with a comeback.
Gronkowski endured a slew of injuries throughout his career, including rib and back injuries in 2021. His Hall of Fame-caliber career includes four All-Pro honors, five Pro Bowl appearances, and 621 career catches for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns.
Brady retired for a second time on February 1, and he said it was “for good” this time around during his Instagram farewell. He previously retired on the same date in 2022 but returned to the Bucs in March 2022 right before free agency kicked off.
His 2022 season with the Bucs didn’t go as planned amid an 8-9 record and a Wild Card playoff exit. He set a single-season record for completions, 490, but he only mustered 6.4 yards per attempt — the worst mark in his career since 2002.
Despite the shortcomings of 2022, Brady looked poised to become one of the biggest free agents of 2023, and teams such as the Las Vegas Raiders showed interest in pursuing him. Brady had it narrowed down to sticking with the Bucs or retiring in 2023, and he chose the latter.
Brady Suitors Quell Rumors With QB Signings
Two teams that got linked to Brady before and after retirement recently signed quarterbacks in free agency, and both signal callers have starting experience.
The Dolphins signed Mike White as a backup to Tua Tagovailoa. Brady and the Dolphins made waves last offseason as a potential pairing until a tampering scandal surfaced in the Brian Flores lawsuit, which nixed the Brady-Dolphins chatter. Brady surfaced as a name for the Dolphins again this offseason due to Tagovailoa’s health — two concussions and a neck injury in 2022. White has seven career starts with the New York Jets.
San Francisco also appeared in play for Brady because of his hometown connections to the Bay Area. The 49ers also faced significant quarterback need with Trey Lance‘s ankle injury, Brock Purdy‘s elbow injury, and Jimmy Garoppolo‘s free agency exodus. Garoppolo left for the Raiders, and the 49ers addressed the quarterback room by signing Sam Darnold. The former No. 3 pick has 55 career starts wtih the Jets and Carolina Panthers.
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