Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade-plus, you know who Rob Gronkowski is. One of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, Gronk starred with the New England Patriots before joining Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a late-career run. Now that he’s retired and covering the Super Bowl for FOX NFL Sunday, let’s take a look back at Gronkowski’s life and career in the NFL.
Rob Gronkowski’s Career on the Football Field
Gronkowski flashed during his collegiate career at Arizona State. But after a back injury forced him to miss his junior season in 2009, he fell to the second round of the 2010 draft, where the Patriots chose him 42nd overall.
After a solid rookie campaign in which he scored 10 touchdowns, Gronkowski looked like the NFL’s best tight end in 2011. He led the league with 17 receiving touchdowns (the most by a TE in NFL history) and was named a first-team All-Pro.
In 2012, Gronkowski signed a six-year, $54 million extension with the Patriots. The following season, back injuries and a torn ACL/MCL forced Gronk to miss games at the beginning and end of the 2013 campaign, limiting him to only six starts.
By the next year, Gronkowski re-established himself as the best tight end in the game. From 2014-15, he hauled in 154 catches for 2,300 yards and 23 touchdowns, won the Comeback Player of the Year award, earned two first-team All-Pro nods, and claimed his first Super Bowl ring.
Injuries hit Gronk again in 2016, but he still managed to pick up another Lombardi Trophy even though he didn’t play in the Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons. He made another resurgence in 2017, posting a 69-1,084-3 line while making the All-Pro team and finishing third in Comeback Player voting. Gronkowski scored three playoff touchdowns for the third time in four years, but the Patriots lost Super Bowl 52 to the Philadelphia Eagles.
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In 2018, the Patriots agreed to trade Gronkowski to the Detroit Lions, but he vetoed the deal. In what would be his final season in New England, Gronk posted a down year (by his standards) but came through in Super Bowl 53 against the Los Angeles Rams. With the score tied in the fourth quarter, Gronkowski caught a 29-yard pass to set up the Patriots at the 2-yard line, allowing Sony Michel to score the only TD of the game.
Gronk retired and didn’t play in the 2019 season, but he decided to rejoin Brady in Tampa Bay for the 2020 campaign. The Patriots traded him, along with a seventh-round pick, to the Buccaneers for a fourth-round pick.
Gronkowski became a pivotal part of Tampa Bay’s offense over the next two seasons, serving as Brady’s third receiving option behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. He averaged 50 receptions, 713 yards, and seven touchdowns per season in Tampa and won his fourth Super Bowl ring after the 2020 season.
Gronkowski announced his second retirement in June 2022. A member of the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team and the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, he is considered one of the greatest tight ends in league history and will likely be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
What Teams Did Gronkowski Play For?
Gronkowski played for two teams in his career: the Patriots and the Buccaneers.
Gronk holds just about every tight end receiving record for New England. Among all Patriots pass catchers, he ranks first in touchdowns (79) and first downs (398), second in yards (7,861), and fifth in receptions (521).
Gronkowski’s Career in TV
After his first retirement in 2019, Gronkowski worked as an analyst for FOX Sports. In 2022, he rejoined the network as a commentator on FOX NFL Sunday.
In addition to his work as a sportscaster, Gronk has also appeared on television shows such as The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Entourage. He competed on the third season of The Masked Singer.
What’s Gronkowski’s Net Worth?
Gronkowski collected more than $70 million in earnings as an NFL player. His net worth is believed to be in the $45 million range.