Rob Gronkowski to officially retire from NFL with ceremonial one-day Patriots contract signing

Rob Gronkowski joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss Tom Brady’s broadcast comeback, why today’s college athletes transition more smoothly to the NFL and his outlook for week one of games.

Rob Gronkowski is officially retiring from the NFL, and he is signing a one-day contract to ensure he becomes a "Patriot for life."

Gronkowski said on "FOX NFL Sunday" that he will ink a one-day contract with the New England Patriots this week to retire as a member of the storied franchise with which he won three of his four Super Bowl rings.

The announcement came as the Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the last team Gronkowski played for alongside Tom Brady and with whom he won Super Bowl LV in 2021, were set to face off against each other. Brady was on the call for that contest alongside Kevin Burkhardt.

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New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski  hauls in a pass defended by Baltimore Ravens defensive back Rashaan Melvin in the 1st quarter. New England Patriots take on the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. (Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

The Patriots announced Monday that Gronkowski would sign the one-day contract Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the team’s "Thursday Night Football" matchup against the New York Jets, their AFC East rival.

Gronkowski, 36, began his NFL career in 2010, when the Patriots drafted him 42nd overall in the second round out of Arizona. He spent nine seasons in New England, becoming one of the best tight ends to play the game as he and Brady developed a connection that was a major part of winning those Super Bowls under head coach Bill Belichick.

He had initially said