Rob Gronkowski might wander into a onesie in the WWE ring or a starring role on the silver screen some day, but not in the immediate future.
Gronk is expected to return to football for the 2018 season and is not expected to retire, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday.
The New England Patriots tight end first broached the prospect of retirement immediately after Super Bowl LII, when he told reporters after the loss, "I mean I'm definitely going to look at my future, for sure. I'm going to sit down the next couple of weeks and see where I'm at."
Rapoport added that, while neither the Patriots nor Gronk's agent Drew Rosenhaus have any update on Gronk's status, the tight end has, after several weeks of putting football briefly on the back burner, decided that he will not pursue professional wrestling and/or a career in entertainment until after his football career is over.
Gronk has two years left on a six-year extension signed in 2012 and is owed $17 million total in base salary over the next two seasons.
According to Rapoport and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, money won't be an issue for Gronk when considering whether or not to call it quits. The tight end has reportedly saved all $44-plus million earned from his football career, spending only the cash made from his many endorsement deals.
Ever boyish and enthusiastic, Gronkowski will surely have a career after the NFL, one that includes many photo ops and few shirts. Until then, there's football left to play.
