Retired (for now) tight end Rob Gronkowski has reached a milestone unrelated to anything he ever did or could do on a football field. He is now 30 years old.
Plenty of players play well beyond 30, and even though Gronk is retired there continues to be a sense that he will play again, at some point this year.
He has joked about being “fake retired,” by he hasn’t shown any real inclination to return. Still, when football season gets started and when the postseason begins to creep closer, who knows what he’ll want to do?
Of course, the Patriots will have to want him to return. It’s easy to presume that they will, but coach Bill Belichick hasn’t encountered a situation like this before. He may not want the distraction that comes from welcoming a prodigal son, and Belichick in theory could prefer standing pat with who they have.
Moves made before Gronkowski would be inclined to unretire also could complicate things. For now, the Patriots aren’t overflowing with tight ends. But what if they trade for Kyle Rudolph at some point? That could be when the ship sails on a Gronk return.
Regardless, as of Gronk’s 30th birthday, it’s impossible to rule out a Gronk return to football before he turns 31.
