Rob Gronkowski is a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the New England Patriots have traded the former Pro Bowl tight end and three-time Super Bowl champion, who is currently retired but still owed $10 million with one year left under contract, and a seventh-round draft pick in exchange for Tampa Bay's 2020 fourth-round pick. The trade won't be finalized until Gronkowski passes a physical test, per Schefter.
The former Arizona Wildcat reportedly expressed interest in ending his retirement to team up with former teammate and quarterback Tom Brady in Tampa Bay moments before the trade was reported.
Trade, pending physical: Patriots are trading TE Rob Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick to the Buccaneers for a fourth-round pick, source tells ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 21, 2020
Gronkowski retired from the NFL following the Patriots' Super Bowl victory in 2019, but remained signed to a six-year, $54 million contract with New England. Since retirement, Gronkowski has worked as an in-studio personality with NFL on Fox, and hosted WWE's WrestleMania 36.
After Gronkowski was drafted No. 42 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, he went on to have a nine-year pro career and caught 521 passes for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns, and was a four-time All-Pro selection in 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2017.
Setting records were also a part of Gronkowski's successful NFL career. In 2011, he became the only tight end to lead a season in touchdown receptions, had most touchdown receptions by a tight end in a season and had the highest receiving yards per game average for a tight end (82.9).
Career-wise, Gronkowski is tied with Randy Moss for most offensive touchdowns (28) in first two seasons, and still has the most receptions (23) by a tight end in Super Bowl history.
Gronkowski was also named to the NFL's All-Decade 2010s Team and the NFL 100 All-Time Team this past season.
Now a member of the Buccaneers, Gronkowski joins an offense quarterbacked by Brady that also has other notable weapons in wide receiver Mike Evans, tight end O.J. Howard and wide receiver Chris Godwin.
