Gronk would retire if forced to make immediate decision

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski would retire for a second time if forced to make an immediate decision about his playing future, he told TMZ Sports on Wednesday.

"If they're like, 'Rob, you've got to decide right now, right this second if you're playing next year,' I would say no right now," Gronkowski said. "I would be like, 'No, I'm not playing.'"

Gronkowski retired for the first time in 2019 after nine seasons with the New England Patriots. He dusted off his cleats in 2020 and reunited with quarterback Tom Brady after Brady joined the Buccaneers.

The 32-year-old said he'll begin contemplating his future more seriously in a few weeks once he's had a chance to digest the season and recover from the rigors of the campaign.

"I just wanna heal completely, see where my thoughts are from there then," he said. He added: "But if I had to answer now, it would be no. But you never know - in three weeks it might be yes."

Gronkowski posted 802 yards and six touchdowns over 12 games for the Buccaneers in 2021, seeing an uptick in production compared to his first year with the team.

The future Hall of Famer said after Tampa Bay bowed out of the playoffs that he could envision himself returning for a third year without Brady, who is also mulling retirement.