Rob Gronkowski

At 34 years old, Rob Gronkowski has this physical status:

Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989), also known as "Gronk," is a former American football tight end who works as a Fox Sports football analyst.

He spent his entire professional career with the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL) before retiring in March 2019.

He has been a three-time Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII), a five-time Pro Bowl pick, four-time First Team All-Pro pick, and the highest ranked tight end in the annual NFL Top 100 Players five times.

He is also a member of the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team of the NFL. Gronkowski played college football at the University of Arizona, earning numerous accolades, including being named a Sporting News and Rivals.com Freshman All-American.

Despite only playing two seasons, his 18.8 yards per reception average and 1,197 receiving yards were a team record for him.

Gronkowski was drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, picking him after missing his junior year due to back surgery. Gronkowski has held numerous NFL records, including being the only one in his position to lead the league in receiving touchdowns (17) in 2011.

He also has the most career postseason receiving yards by a close finish (1,163), the only tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 or more yards.

He has the most career-wide receiving touchdowns for his position, as well as the most combined receptions (23) and receiving yards (297) by a close end to a tight end in Super Bowl history.

Among tight ends, he ranks first in average receiving yards per game (68.3), average yards per game (9.9), and average touchdowns per game (0.69) among tight ends.

With his numerous awards and accolades, he is regarded by many sports analysts, writers, and readers as not only one of his era's best players, but also as one of the best tight ends to ever play the sport.

Early life

Gronkowski was born in Amherst, New York, on May 14, 1989, and was raised in nearby Williamsville. He is Gordon Gronkowski and Diane Walters' second youngest son and is of Polish descent through his father. His father, a former Syracuse University football guard, worked from 1977 to 1981 and later founded a high-end fitness equipment company. He is a great-grandson of Ignatius Gronkowski, who represented the United States in cycling at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, and set five world records in the sport. In 2008, Gronkowski's parents divorced. Gordie, Dan, Chris, and Glenn's four brothers participated in athletics and later played professionally.

Gronkowski played hockey until he was 14 years old; later, he began playing basketball. He attended Williamsville North High School (WNHS) for his first three years of high school, playing tight end and defensive end, as well as freshman kickoff specialist, presumably due to his team's legendary feet; and first baseman in baseball for the WNHS Spartans. He had 36 receptions for 648 yards and seven touchdowns on offense, seven on defense, and 73 tackles and six sacks on defense. He was named an All-Western New York first-team and All-State second-team player. Gronkowski studied mathematics as his best subject and English as his worst, and English as his least academic.

Gronkowski, a student at Woodland Hills High School, moved to suburban Pittsburgh, where he spent his senior year. After the finding of ineligibility was reversed, he was initially found ineligible by the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League due to his move to Woodland Hills. He was named a SuperPrep All-American, PrepStar All-American, Associated Press Class 4-A, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania" "Fabulous 22" by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review "Terrific 25" player. He was recruited by Kentucky, Arizona, Clemson, Louisville, Maryland, Ohio State, and Syracuse. Gronkowski graduated from Woodland Hills in 2007 with a 3.75 GPA and 1560 out of 2400 SAT rankings.

Personal life

Gronkowski has been in a relationship with model Camille Kostek since 2015. They first met at a Patriots charity function on Thanksgiving 2013. They live in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Tampa, Florida.

Gronkowski said in 2015 that he had not invested any of the money he has earned from his NFL contracts and rather lived off the proceeds from his company ventures, sponsorship agreements, and appearance fees.

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College career

Gronkowski, a high school graduate, attended the University of Arizona as a Pre-Business major and spent time with the Arizona Wildcats football team from 2007 to 2009 under head coach Mike Stoops. He made 28 receptions for 525 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman in 2007. His 18.8 yards per reception average was the highest on the team, and his receiving yards were a school record for a tight end. He was named as The Sporting News freshman All-American, Rivals.com freshman All-American, The Sporting News freshman Pac-10, and All-Pac-10 honorable mention player.

Gronkowski missed the first three games of the 2008 season, but later recorded 47 receptions for 672 yards and a team-best ten touchdowns. In his first two games against UCLA and Washington, five of his touchdowns were scored. He was twice named as the John Mackey National Tight End of the Week, including his efforts in a failed comeback attempt against Oregon, in which he caught 12 passes for 143 yards. He set the school record for single-game, single-season, and career receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Gronkowski was named as a member of the Associated Press third team and All-Pac-10 first team tight end.

Gronkowski was on the Lombardi Award's watchlist prior to the 2009 season. In 2009, he missed his junior season due to back surgery, which resulted in his draft stock to decline.

Professional career

After a draft day trade with the Oakland Raiders in the 2010 NFL Draft, Gronkowski was selected by the New England Patriots as the "best all-around player in the draft." He was the highest-drafted tight end out of Arizona, beating the 2001 record set by Brandon Manumaleuna. On July 25, 2010, he began a four-year contract. The agreement was worth $4.4 million with a $1.76 million signing bonus.

Gronkowski was one of three NFL players to score four touchdowns, tying Victor Cruz, a rookie wide receiver for the New York Giants, and Anthony Dixon, a running back for the San Francisco 49ers, during the preseason. Gronkowski scored his first regular season touchdown in the fourth quarter on a one-yard pass from Tom Brady in the 38–24 victory.

Gronkowski scored three touchdown passes from Brady in Week 10 over the Pittsburgh Steelers, becoming the first rookie in NFL history and the youngest rookie in NFL history to win this feat. Madden NFL 12 has a "Rob Gronkowski Award" for players who have a tight end catch three or more touchdowns in a single game in honor of the game.

Gronkowski caught two touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16, while in Buffalo. In the regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins, he scored 100 yards and a receiving touchdown, giving him his first 100 yards and a touchdown. Gronkowski started 11 games and gained 42 passes for 546 yards in 16 games played. Despite missing his entire 2009 college season due to back surgery, Gronkowski did not miss a single game or practice all season; he was the first rookie tight end since the NFL-AFL merger to score 10 touchdowns. The Patriots finished 14–2 on record and took the AFC East. Gronkowski made his playoff debut against the New York Jets in the Divisional Round in the Divisional Round. He had four receptions for 65 receiving yards in the 28-21 upset loss.

In Weeks 10, 14, and 17, Gronkowski was selected three times for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week, winning twice and losing in Week 10 to Tim Tebow. At a close finish to the 2011 Pro Bowl, Gronkowski finished fifth in fan votes and fourth overall among rookies. Gronkowski received one writer's vote for the Associated Press' 2010 All-Pro Team (writers only vote for one tight end). He was selected to the NFL All-Rookie Team.

In the Patriots' Week 38–24 victory over the Miami Dolphins, Gronkowski intercepted his first touchdown of the 2011 season on a 10-yard pass from Tom Brady; Gronkowski's six intercepts totaled 517 yards. In Week 2, he had four receptions for 86 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers, defeating the 35-21 victory. In the 34–31 loss to the Buffalo Bills, he continued his streak with seven receptions for 109 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. He has had 19 receptions for 214 yards in a 3–1 stretch for the Patriots over the next four games. In Week 9, he had eight receptions for 101 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown, defeating the New York Giants for their 24–20 loss. In Week 10, he had eight receptions for 113 yards and two receiving touchdowns against the New York Jets, defeating them 37–16. Gronkowski had two touchdown passes against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11, including a career-long 52-yard grab and run, to equal his 2010 touchdown haul in just ten games. He increased his reception and yardage totals from 2010 to just eight games.

Gronkowski led all tight ends with ten touchdowns through Week 11, with 20 touchdowns, the most tight ends in his first two seasons. His reception and receiving yards totals were ranked second among tight ends (after Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints) and in the top ten among all receivers, although wide receiver Wes Welker ranked second behind him on the Patriots, placing him second.

In the Patriots' Week 13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, Gronkowski tied for touchdowns in a single season by a close finish. Gronkowski's third touchdown on receptions from Tom Brady was his third touchdown from two yards out. Although initially a forward pass, it was later determined to be a rushing attempt; as of the 2020 season, it was the only rushing attempt of Gronkowski's career and his only rushing touchdown. It was the first rushing touchdown by a tight end since Bo Scaife did it in 2006 and the first in Patriot history. Gronkowski had sole possession of touchdowns with 14, 14, and tied for receiving touchdowns with Antonio Gates and Vernon Davis at the end of the game.

Gronkowski was solely responsible for the tight end receiving record against the Washington Redskins a week later, where he gained his 14th and 15th touchdown passes of the season; in total, he had six receptions for a career-high 160 yards. His success earned him his first AFC Offensive Player of the Week award and, for the second week in a row, NFL.com's "Hardest Working Man" award was presented. He finished the season with 1,327 passing yards, beating Jimmy Graham of the Saints' record for a tight end of 1,310, which was earlier this day. He also had 18 total touchdowns and 17 receiving, which was both NFL records for tight ends. Gronkowski's 18 touchdowns were the second-highest total in the NFL (after LeSean McCoy, who had 20), and equaled the total St. Louis Rams team's production. In 2011, his 17 receiving touchdowns were the most of any NFL player, marking the first time a tight end had sole possession of the league lead in football history.

At the 2012 Pro Bowl, Gronkowski was named the starting line for the AFC. He was one of eight Patriots players to vote in the Pro Bowl, receiving more than triple the number from the number two tight end, Aaron Hernandez's teammate, and third-most AFC player, after teammates Tom Brady and Wes Welker. Gronkowski also voted for the tight end of the AP All-Pro first team, receiving 4412 of the 50 votes (44 voters went for Jimmy Graham; 5 voters voted for Jimmy Graham; and one voter split a vote between the two groups). He was ranked 21st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.

Gronkowski set a new NFL record by defeating the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round for the first time in the Patriots' first playoff game, scoring three touchdowns in a 10-catch, 145-yard effort. quarterback Tim Tebow only had more catches than the entire Broncos offense, as quarterback Tim Tebow only completed 9 of 26 passes. Gronkowski sustained a high ankle sprain on a tackle by Ravens safety Bernard Pollard in the AFC Championship, a 23-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens; his ankle injury was one of the key story lines in the run-up to Super Bowl XLVI. Gronkowski finished with five receptions for 87 yards, despite being unable to finish with five receptions. The Patriots decided to start Gronkowski in Super Bowl XLVI, but he wasn't a major factor in the game. Gronkowski had a chance on Tom Brady's Hail Mary as time ran, but his dive for the ball fell short. Gronkowski had two receptions for 26 yards in the game, his lowest output since early October. The Patriots lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants 21–17. Gronkowski had an MRI of his ankle, which had strained ligaments and required surgery to repair.

Gronkowski agreed to a six-year, $54 million contract extension, the first for an NFL tight end. An $8 million signing bonus was included in the deal, but it was not affected by his rookie contract's 2012 and 2013 seasons. Gronkowski started the season by throwing touchdowns in consecutive games, including a 34-13 win over the Tennessee Titans and a 20-18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. In a 52-28 victory over the Buffalo Bills, he had five receptions for 104 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. In Week 7, he had six receptions for 78 receiving yards and two touchdowns against the New York Jets, defeating the 29–26 victory. In Week 8, he had eight receptions for 146 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns against the St. Louis Rams.

Gronkowski had seven receptions for 137 yards and two receiving touchdowns in the Patriots' 59–24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11. Gronkowski's left forearm snapped in the fourth quarter at an additional time, making him the third tight end in NFL history (after Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates) to have three seasons with at least 10 touchdown receptions, and the first to do it in three seasons. Gronkowski returned to practice in Week 15 and played against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, scoring a touchdown. In the first quarter of the Patriots' first playoff game against the Houston Texans, he regained his left arm. He needed another surgery and missed the remainder of the playoffs. Gronkowski had 790 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in 11 games during the 2012 season. Despite missing some playing time, he received a Pro Bowl nomination. He was ranked 25th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.

Gronkowski was diagnosed with an infection in his forearm in February 2013. He underwent an open surgical procedure, the third on his forearm, in an attempt to get rid of the disease; he was then put on antibiotic therapy. Gronkowski underwent a fourth surgery on his forearm to replace the hardware implanted in the second procedure and perform tissue biopsies on May 20, 2013. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, doctors were told that the disease had already been treated. Gronkowski underwent back surgery on June 18, 2013. He was cleared to play against the New York Jets in October 20, 2013. In his return, he played three 100-yard receiving games in a six-game stretch. Gronkowski sustained a right knee injury after a direct hit from safety T. J. during a game against the Cleveland Browns on December 8, 2013. Ward: Theodore of Ward. Gronkowski resisted his ACL and MCL, which ultimately ended his 2013 season. Gronkowski had 592 passing yards and four touchdowns in six games. Gronkowski was ranked 41st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014.

Gronkowski's first game back from ACL/MCL surgery, he had four passes for 40 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in a losing proposition, 33-20. He was playing on limited snaps as the Patriots recovered him back to full fitness slowly. Gronkowski had four receptions for 32 receiving yards against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 in a 30-7 victory. In Week 3 against the Oakland Browns, Gronkowski had three receptions for 44 yards and his second touchdown of the season, and the Patriots' 16–9 victory was the first touchdown scored. Gronkowski got off to a good start, 11 receptions, 116 receiving yards, and two touchdowns on only 109 offensive snaps (42% of the team's offensive total) through Week 3. In Week 8, Gronkowski was shutout against the Chicago Bears, catching nine passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns in the 51-23 victory. Gronkowski scored at least 10 touchdowns in four separate seasons against the San Diego Chargers in Week 14. He had eight receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown in the 23-14 victory. He finished the season with 82 receptions for 1,124 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. The Patriots won the AFC East after finishing 12-4 on record and winning the AFC East. For his 2014 season, Gronkowski earned his third Pro Bowl nomination and his second First Team-All Pro nomination. His All-Pro nomination was unanimous, winning all 50 votes. Gronkowski received the Comeback Player of the Year award for his 2014 season at the 2015 ESPY Awards. On the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015. He was ranked tenth by his peers.

In the 35–31 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, he had seven receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown. In the 45–7 win over the Indianapolis Colts, he had three receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown. Gronkowski was a major factor in the Patriots' 28-24 Super Bowl XLIX victory over the Seattle Seahawks, with 6 catches for 68 yards and a touchdown in the second quarter. Gronkowski was suspended twice this season, once for "unnessary roughness" against Indianapolis Colts safety Sergio Brown, as well as the other time during Super Bowl XLIX. Gronkowski, one of three others, was fined $8,628 for "striking an enemy."

Gronkowski caught five passes for 94 yards, scoring three of the Patriots' four touchdowns during the Patriots' home opener on Thursday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 10, 2015. Gronkowski's third appearance in his career, one shy of wide receiver Randy Moss's team record of four. Gronkowski became the first player in NFL history to play multiple three-touchdown-reception games against the Steelers, making him the first player in the franchise. Gronkowski had 34 receptions for 533 yards and six touchdowns in the Patriots' first six games, all victories. In a 36-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins, he had 113 yards and a touchdown on October 29. Gronkowski had to be carted off the field against the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter during the Patriots' first loss of the season on November 29, 2015. According to initial reports, the injury seemed to be less serious than it had been expected.

Gronkowski returned to the Patriots' December 13 game against the Houston Texans after missing a week. He had four passes for 87 yards and a touchdown for a total of ten touchdowns and 1,018 yards on the season. The Patriots defeated the 27–6, snapping a two-game losing streak.

Gronkowski scored five passes for 54 yards and one touchdown in a 33-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans on December 20, with five passes for 54 yards and one touchdown. Dana Parenteau, a boy who died at the age of 43 two days earlier, was given the touchdown by him.

Gronkowski intercepted seven passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots' 27-20 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round. Gronkowski led all receivers with eight catches for 144 yards and a receiving touchdown in the AFC Championship, defeating the Denver Broncos by 20-18. Gronkowski had the Patriots' last touchdown to bring the Patriots within two points, but the Patriots' resulting two-point conversion was unsuccessful.

Gronkowski was selected to the Pro Bowl and the AP All-Pro first team for the fourth time in his career; he led all non-quarterbacks in fan voting for the Pro Bowl and received 48 of 50 All-Pro votes at a close conclusion; he was voted on by the end. He was named as the ninth best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.

Gronkowski missed the first two games of the 2016 season due to a hamstring injury and was limited in his next two games. In Week 8, Gronkowski scored his 69th regular-season touchdown of his career and his 68th receiving touchdown. Stanley Morgan's touchdown set two Patriots franchise records. Earl Thomas took a big blow to the chest in Week 10 against the Seattle Seahawks, but it turned out to be a respiratory contusion, keeping him out in Week 11. He sustained a back injury in Week 12 against the New York Jets, and was out for the season early in the second half. He was officially put on injured reserve on December 3, 2016, after undergoing surgery the day before. He had 25 receptions on 38 targets for 540 yards and three touchdowns on the season, with 25 receiving touchdowns on 38 targets for 540 yards and three touchdowns. In 2016, his 21.6 yards per reception ranked first among NFL tight ends. When the Patriots won Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017, Gronkowski was on injured reserve. The Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 34–28, giving Gronkowski his second Super Bowl title. Despite missing eight games, Gronkowski was still ranked 23rd by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

Gronkowski returned to action in 2017 after being on the injured reserve list for much of the previous season. During a Week 2 victory over the New Orleans Saints, Gronkowski sustained his groin, ending the game early, but it did not result in him missing any more games. He had six receptions for 116 yards and a 53-yard touchdown before he was injured. By Week 4's end, he was still playing his familiar role as the team leader in receptions and receiving yardage, but a thigh contusion in preparation for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Monday Night Football game caused him to postponed the game entirely. In Week 6, Gronkowski intercepted six touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns as the Patriots defeated the New York Jets by a score of 24-17. The Patriots were in the lead after overcoming a 14-point deficit thanks to their 33-yard touchdown. Gronkowski caught five touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins in Week 12. This was his 16th multiple touchdown game, which tied for the franchise record set by Randy Moss.

Gronkowski had nine receptions for 147 receiving yards against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13 as the Patriots defeated the Buffalo Bills 23-3. However, after Bills rookie cornerback Tre'Davious White intercepted a pass intended for Gronkowski in the fourth quarter, Gronkowski responded by leaping elbow-first onto White, drawing a personal foul foul foul foul foul flag and giving White a concussion. Gronkowski was furious, alleging that White should have been flagged for a pass interference penalty. Gronkowski was suspended for one game on Sunday, the day before the game, after being hit on White. Gronkowski's appeal of the one-game suspension was dismissed the next day, December 5. The Patriots lost 20–27, with Gronkowski suspended for the Patriots' Week 14 game against the Miami Dolphins.

Gronkowski intercepted nine passes for a career-high 168 yards in a 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers the next week. On the Patriots' game-winning drive, Gronkowski passed for 69 yards on three straight passes, followed by a two-point conversion to put the Patriots up by 3. For the fourth time in his career, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the season, joining Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten as the only NFL tight ends with four 1,000-yard seasons. He was named Week 15 as the Week's Best Offensive Player of the Week after his work in Week 15. Gronkowski was named to his fifth Pro Bowl on December 19, 2017. He finished the 2017 season with 69 receptions for 1,084 yards, the majority on tight ends, and eight touchdowns. He was accepted to the Associated Press' All-Pro First Team in January 2018, earning him a $2.5 million reward for his service during the 2017 offseason. The Patriots had a 13-3 record and were voted in first round bye. In the 35–14 victory over the Tennessee Titans, he had six receptions for receiving 81 yards and a receiving touchdown. Gronkowski sustained a concussion on a 21-yard reception during the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on January 21, 2018, being put on concussion protocol, but did not return to the game. He will be cleared from the protocol just in time for Super Bowl LII against the Philadelphia Eagles. He had 116 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the Super Bowl. He attempted to make a Hail Mary pass in the closing seconds, but the Patriots lost 33-41. He was ranked 15th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

In the offseason, the Patriots agreed to trade Gronkowski to the Detroit Lions, but the deal fell through after the tight end vetoed it.

Gronkowski said on April 24, he had spoken with head coach Bill Belichick and that he would return for the 2018 season. After skipping minicamp, he returned to practice on June 5th, announcing his return. Gronkowski had seven receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown in a 27-20 victory in the Houston Texans' first game. For the first time since 2012, he also fumbled for the first time since 2012. Gronkowski did have some poor results in his next six games, with 22 receptions for 325 yards and no touchdowns. In Week 12's victory over the New York Jets, he scored his second touchdown of the season. In Week 14, against the Miami Dolphins, he had eight receptions for 107 passing yards and a receiving touchdown. Gronkowski was the last line of defense on the game-winning play in the loss, the Dolphins' last-second victory. Gronkowski used to play as a hybrid safety against Hail Mary passes, which led to him often being unable to defend against Hail Mary passes. He had 47 receptions for 682 yards and three touchdowns in the 2018 season.

The Patriots were ranked as the second-seed in the AFC during the playoffs. In the Divisional Round against the Los Angeles Chargers, he had a 25-yard reception. In the 37–31 overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, he had six receptions for 79 receiving yards. As the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII, Gronkowski finished with 87 receiving yards. With 23 catches and 297 yards, he set a record for tight ends in the Super Bowl. Gronkowski's best moment came when the Patriots led him to the two-yard line and set up the game's only touchdown, with Sony Michel scoring on a two-yard rush to put the Patriots up.

Gronkowski announced his retirement from the NFL on March 24, 2019, at 29 years old, on Instagram. He continued to reflect on his decision five months later, saying that the agony and injuries he suffered throughout his career had taken a toll on his mental stability.

Gronkowski's rights were still held by the Patriots in exchange for a compensatory fourth round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on April 21, 2020. The signing brought him and former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who had signed with the Buccaneers a month before. Brady himself, not the coach Bruce Arians, was adamant for the team to trade for Gronkowski.

In a 38-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers on October 18, 2020, Gronkowski caught five passes for 78 yards and his first touchdown. Against the Miami Dolphins, Gronkowski's first touchdown catch since December 9, 2018. Gronkowski had six catches for 106 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12 of Week 12. During the 47–7 victory over the Detroit Lions, Gronkowski caught two catches for 58 yards, which resulted in touchdowns. He finished with 45 receptions for 623 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

With the Buccaneers defeating the Packers 30–26, Gronkowski's 29-yard catch towards the end of the NFC Championship Game set up the crucial lead-extending field goal for Ryan Succop.

In the Buccaneers' 31–9 win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, Gronkowski intercepted two of Tom Brady's three touchdown passes. With 14, Brady and the quarterback held the most postseason touchdowns between a quarterback and receiver. The pair had previously tied for 12 postseason touchdowns against Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. Gronkowski became the first NFL player to win a pass in five different Super Bowls in history.

Gronkowski re-signed with the Buccaneers on a one-year contract worth $10 million on March 22, 2021.

Although the 2020 season had been a special one in which Gronkowski appeared in all 16 games, Gronkowski's 2021 was much more difficult for him in terms of his health. The first two games were injury-free. Gronkowski had eight receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-29 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the season's opener. Gronkowski had four catches for 39 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 48-25. However, he took a batter that resulted in multiple fractures and a punctured lung, effectively out of action for the next seven weeks, with the notable exception of an abortive attempt in Week 8, in which he played only a few snaps. In a victory over the New York Giants, he returned to full form in Week 11. He made six receptions on eight targets for 71 yards on week 11. In Week 12 against the Indianapolis Colts, he had his first 100+ yards on seven plays, leading all receivers with 123 yards on seven plays, and his third multiple-touchdown game of the season was held against the Atlanta Falcons, netting two end-zone visits in his four catches for 58 yards. This brought the Brady-Gronkowski family together for a total of 90 touchdowns in the regular season, moving them to second place on the all-time quarterback-receiver list, behind only Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison.

Gronkowski announced his retirement on June 21, 2022, for the second time.

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