Whether or not Rob Gronkowski returns to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for another season, things could get messy for Tom Brady.
Gronkowski, who recently appeared on Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards, named Brady among those he wants to slime, especially over his 41-day retirement before coming back. Gronkowski, who remains a free agent, and co-host Miranda Cosgrove both got slimed themselves at the Nickelodeon event.
“I would slime all the defenders out there so they’re slippery and wet, so they would fall and slip and I’d be wide open,” Gronkowski told SB Nation’s Debbie Emery before the event. “That would be a great strategy, right before the play I’d get it in their eyes so they couldn’t see. Also Tom, he deserves to get slimed for retiring then unretiring 41 days later. He definitely deserves it for that epic thing he pulled.”
Your Kids’ Choice Awards co-hosts before ➡️ after.😂 We need a sponge for all this slime. Somebody call SpongeBob stat! 🧽
@MirandaCosgrove @Nickelodeon #kca
Gronkowski added humorously that not having a retirement party merited getting slimed, too. Brady announced his retirement Feb. 1 and then returned to the Bucs on March 13.
“We could have at least gotten that in, so he deserves to get slimed for that, so if I could slime him I would,” Gronkowski said.
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Gronkowski: ‘I Don’t Have a Decision Date’
Meanwhile, Gronkowski hasn’t committed to playing another season in the NFL despite Brady’s return. Gronkowski told Emery that there hasn’t even been contract negotiations yet, and there’s no time frame yet either.
“I don’t really have a decision date, I don’t ever have to decide — if I don’t decide then that just means I’m not playing,” Gronkowski told Emery. “There really is no decision that I have to make in my life, maybe I’ll just go the rest of my life without ever deciding. People will be like ‘Rob, what did you decide?’ when I’m like 70 years old, and I’ll say: ‘It’s still up in the air.'”
That’s 90+ regular season touchdown connections for @TomBrady & @RobGronkowski 🏈
Gronkowski left things “up in the air” even since the Bucs’ season ended on Jan. 23. He told the media that he would need some time to think things over, and his tune changed not being ready to commit to a season in later interviews such as his April 5 interview with TMZ Sports. Gronkowski, who had an injury-riddled career in New England, sustained injuries with the Bucs in 2021.
The only certainty Gronkowski has offered is committing to return to the Bucs if he does return.
“They are all great teammates and all selfless players, they are there for the team and what’s best for the team and the whole organization,” Gronkowski told Emery. “If I do play football again, it’ll be for the Bucs.”
Gronkowski Still Going Strong
If Gronkowski returns, the Bucs will have a dangerous threat at tight end again. He caught 55 passes for 802 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games last season.
The Bucs don’t have much depth at tight end without Gronkowski. Cameron Brate will return after posting 30 catches for 245 yards and four touchdowns in 2021.
Cameron Brate’s 20 red zone targets ranked 10th in the NFL in 2021.
The current TE2 for the Buccaneers is Codey McElroy.
Brate is free in dynasty leagues and OJ Howard is already gone while Rob Gronkowski is not yet a Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay only has Codey McElroy besides Brate under contract for 2022 per Spot Trac. McElroy had one target in his lone game last season at New England on Oct. 3, 2022. He played in three regular season games since joining the team in 2019.
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Rob Gronkowski Humorously Puts Tom Brady on Notice