“The matchup nightmare.” “The Terminator.” “The beast.” “The greatest tight end of all time.”
Those words could only describe one man: Rob Gronkowski. It honestly doesn’t come as a shock to me that Gronk is retiring. Who wouldn’t want to go out on top? After all, he did have the biggest play of Super Bowl 53 and was pivotal in the win against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.
But 2018 doesn’t do him justice; he was the most dominant tight end in the game of football, at least in my lifetime. No one could cover him. One of my favorite Gronk memories was in the game versus the Washington Redskins in 2011 when he dragged a defender for about five yards, threw him off of his back, broke another tackle and ran over twenty more yards to set up a first-and-goal.
Gronk is superhuman. He never gives up and pushes through in order to make a play. Another one of my favorite moments of his was when he leveled Indianapolis Colts defender Sergio Brown for smack talking. It’s another prime example of his character. He is passionate about the game and isn’t afraid to show it.
There will never be another version of him, no matter how hard anyone tries. Even out of his “prime,” Gronk still couldn’t be covered. He is a nightmare because when he steps on the field, he is a threat. Will he be receiving a pass? Is he blocking? He is a threat either way. Gronk will be a Hall of Famer, no questions asked. His first chance to be inducted is in 2024 — five seasons after he last played the sport. And honestly, he will probably be inducted that year. Gronk is the full package when it comes to being a tight end.
Words cannot describe the feelings I have upon Gronk’s retirement announcement. I was on a bus with some students from my college and one stood up and said: “Hey, did you guys see that Gronk retired?!” I turned around and said “Gronk retired?!” and then immediately checked Instagram for the announcement. And there it was, the picture worth a thousand words with the caption that made my eyes started to well up with tears. This is the first major player that I have grown up watching that has retired, so he holds a place in my heart.
There is such sadness seeing a player of his caliber leave the team I grew up watching. I honestly don’t remember a time where I watched the Patriots and he wasn’t on the team. His talent is incomparable. His incredible catches were just one part of his immaculate career. His underrated blocking helped to carry the Patriots to a Super Bowl this past year. Tom Brady was rarely sacked and part of that reason is Gronk was used as a sixth offensive lineman for the majority of the season.
There is also joy in seeing Gronk retire. If he feels that he has done what he needed to do and is ready to step away from professional football, that’s incredible for him. He has so many opportunities ahead. Personally, I’d like to see him become a media personality, however, there are opportunities for him all over the entertainment world. He has expressed interest in WWE, and he has the personality for it, so that could be in his future. There has also been speculation that he will appear in movies or television shows in the future. He will succeed in whatever he goes into.
Retiring is also good for Gronk’s body. One of my Gronk memories is being at the Browns-Patriots game that Gronk tore his ACL/MCL in December of the 2014 season. I remember seeing the hit and immediately thinking that something was wrong. He gave a thumbs up as he was carted off of the field, a testament to his easy-going personality. Unfortunately, that was one of the many injuries that Gronk has dealt with in his career as a Patriot.
From back injuries to concussions to ankle injuries to arm injuries, this man has dealt with it all. Giving his body a break from the stress it endures over the season will help his life in the long run. He already has a bionic arm and a bad back, adding more seasons on means the bigger possibility for injuries. For a massive man who sacrifices his whole body for the sake of the play, it makes sense to retire now so that he can save his body from further damage.
Will he be back? Well, that’s up to him. And fans shouldn’t force him to come back either. Yes, Patriots Nation will miss him terribly. Yes, this is an end of an era in New England. Yes, the Patriots have a gaping hole in their O-Line and in their hearts. But, if he is ready to retire, there is nothing that fans can do to stop him. All fans can do is say thank you and keep the memories he gave to them close to their hearts.
So thank you, Rob Gronkowski. You have made so many Patriots fans so happy over your nine years with the team. You will be so missed, but thank you for the memories that you have given to New England. They mean more than you know.
