What will Gronkowski do while deciding whether to return to the NFL?
Listen this article
Some rumors indicate that the former New England Patriots' tight end would return to the squatters, others locate him in new jobs
What was news a few days ago in the world of professional American sports, the decision of tight end Rob Gronkowski to retire from the NFL, has taken a somewhat unexpected turn. After his representative assured that 'Gronk' could return unexpectedly, in parallel some media were dedicated to searching a new job for him.
Leer en español: ¿En que se ocupará Gronkowski mientras decide si regresa a la NFL?
In Latin American Post we will review both situations, but we will focus on the successful sporting career that Gronkowski left with the New England Patriots, a club with which he won respect, fame, and three Vince Lombardi trophies after 9 years.
Through his Instagram account, Gronkowski reported on his decision, thanking the Patriots organization, as well as head coach Bill Belichick and club owner Robert Kraft, according to ESPN.
The message read in its headline: "It all started at 20 years old on stage at the NFL draft when my dream came true, and now here I am about to turn 30 in a few months with a decision I feel is the biggest of my life so far. I will be retiring from the game of football today. "
ESPN also compiled Gronkowski's numbers since joining the NFL as a second-round pick in the 2010 draft, who racked up 521 receptions for 7861 yards and 79 touchdowns. He was also elected to five Pro Bowls, four times to the first All-Pro team, won three Super Bowl championships (2014, 2017 and 2019) and the 2014 Returning Player of the Year award.
As if that were not enough, Gronkowski's 79 touchdown receptions are the most made in the league, a respectable figure he achieved in five seasons and which, in turn, represent the most for a tight end in the league's history. After him is Antonio Brown with 74 and finally Dez Bryant with 71 closes the podium.
In total, Gronkowski played 115 regular-season games and 16 playoff games, thanks to which he could add 81 catches for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns, all of them records for a tight end. Regarding Super Bowls, he imposed marks for his position with 23 receptions and 297 yards. One aspect that presumably motivated the premature decision of Gronkowski was the constant injuries, which made him miss 13 games between 2017 and 2019.
Also read: NFL: champion quarterback Nick Foles is now a Jaguar
General admiration
For many, the next step of Gronkowski will be Canton, Ohio, in the Hall of Fame of this sport. In that, as well as in his qualities as a player, there are many relevant characters in the NFL.
"There has never been a tight end more dangerous than Gronk, an intimidating presence that has been an excellent receiver and blocker," said John McClain, an NFL columnist for the Houston Chronicle.
ESPN journalist Sao Palontino thinks something similar. "He has to be in the conversation of the selection in his first year of eligibility, he has the numbers, but his splendor and dominance distinguish him," he said, according to another ESPN article.
"Rob will leave the game as one of the best and most complete players in his position to have ever played," said coach Belichick, who is heading to his NFL season No. 45 in 2019.
How likely is it that he will return?
Gronkowski's retirement will aggravate, at least in theory, the problem that the Patriots have in the positions of the air game. Therefore, US As ensures that Drew Rosenhaus, agent of the tight end, said he would not be surprised if the Arizona graduate decided to leave the retreat to return to the grid. He also added that quarterback Tom Brady would play an important role in changing Gronk's decision.
The exact words of Gronkowski's representative were: "If the team needed it at some point of the season, let's say hypothetically Tom Brady called him and said 'Rob, I need you', I would not be surprised if he came back to play some more games."
In fact, a possible return would not be a surprise if you review similar cases of the past. Some examples are those of Marshawn Lynch, who returned in 2017 with the Raiders. In 2018, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie signed a contract with the Redskins, despite announcing his retirement five months earlier. There is also Jason Witten, who returned to the Cowboys roster for the upcoming campaign after spending all of 2018 as an ESPN commentator, rated US As.
Anyway, Rosenhaus clarified that for the moment Gronkowski is sure of his decision, because he tried to persuade him and failed in his attempt. "He told me 'I've had enough, I've won three championships, I've just won a ring, I'm healthy, I'm going to the top, I feel good and I'm ready to do other things,' added the agent.
What to do now?
According to 12Up, there are five activities in which Gronk' could work thanks to his profile and start a new professional career in other areas. Let's review them.
1) The logic one: rest and recover from the injuries that afflicted him in recent seasons.
2) To be the conductor of a podcast or of some show of an audiovisual media due to its charisma, humor, and domain of other subjects. The guy sells as an image.
3) What any retired athlete thinks: be an analyst of the sport that he played in television broadcasts. It is a tendency to hire ex-players who lived the experience of playing a certain sport.
4) Be an actor, why not? Nor would it be the first example. 12Up assures that Gronk has a good physique and that, in addition to movies, he could appear in commercials of sports brands.
5) Become a WWE wrestler. It is an option that Rob has always evaluated because of his large size and beyond its constant injuries.
LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano
Translated from "¿En que se ocupará Gronkowski mientras decide si regresa a la NFL?
