Patriots hoping to woo Rob Gronkowski back for playoffs
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft reportedly has been holding out hope that tight end Rob Gronkowski will return from retirement. The Patriots hope to have Rob Gronkowski on the roster to end the season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com:
“Kraft told Gronkowski that he wants him to return for November, December, and the playoffs stretch run. And that if that happened, the team not only would welcome him back but will remain hopeful that it happens.
“Time is running out for Gronk to make a return. According to the rules, the last day for Gronkowski and the team to agree to grant him an official return to the roster would be Saturday, Nov. 30—the final day before the team’s Week 13 game.”Â
Read: Jets, Giants Should Both Wait to Evaluate Their Coaches
Gronkowski, 29, confirmed his decision to walk away from the game on March 24 in an Instagram post.
He has spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the Patriots, making five Pro Bowl teams and earning four All-Pro selections. Despite his historic brilliance, he dealt with near-constant injuries, including back problems that dated back to his college days at Arizona.
Gronkowski has missed at least one game in each of the last seven seasons due to injury, a factor he’ll likely weigh heavily before making any decisions about his future.
