I’m Not Really Retired: Former NFL Rob Gronkowski Embraces Next Stage – Tampa Bay Buccaneers Blog

Orlando, FL – Walks into the hallway after 6:45 a.m., rigorously learning the textual content of the day. However when the time comes Rob Gronkowski To carry out, they aren’t the working tracks or catching passes of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom BradyHe’s appearing in a tv industrial for USAA.

Nestled in a makeshift canine park at Common Studios’ theme park, Gronkowski palms down his strains along with his lovable French bulldog, Ralph, on his lap whereas one of many crew whispers softly, “He is sweating just a little on his brow.”

That is when the reinforcements come – two make-up artists – whereas Ralphie will get some shade and a fast drink.

One make-up artist powders Gronkowski’s face, whereas the opposite offers him a brand new grey T-shirt to alter up. Whereas Ralphie is being teleported for a fast break within the shadows, Gronkowski and director, Craig Lauterbach, cycle forwards and backwards over whether or not to say “canine” or “canine.”

“It is extra fictional within the trade,” mentioned Gronkowski, who turned 33 in Could. “It is simply grinding, grinding, grinding, in soccer, and right here it is such as you’re like a supermodel or one thing.

“I haven’t got to be in fine condition in any respect. I’ve folks feeding me, and if I am sluggish, I am sluggish. It does not matter if I am quick or not. So it is cool.”

After saying and doubling his retirement two weeks in the past after 11 NFL seasons — 9 with the New England Patriots and two with the Buccaneers — Gronkowski has now set his sights on new pursuits, forsaking a assured legacy of touchdown within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.

Establishing his id away from soccer – even amidst criticism he was very vigorous and had loads of involvement early on – helped Gronkowski develop ventures in tv and leisure. Appeared in TV Exhibits like “Entourage” and “Household Man”; I throw big events, like “Gronk Seaside” at Tremendous Bowl LIV in Miami; It has executed adverts for USAA, Tide, Lyft, Cheerios, Nike, Dunkin’ Donuts, T-Cell, Physique Armor and JetBlue. His character guarantees many alternatives.

“Gronk is aware of its model,” mentioned Maxinne Gonzalez, director of video manufacturing at USAA. “I believe Gronk is aware of the character. He is aware of himself properly and does that. And I believe individuals are reluctant to try this.”

In keeping with Gronkowski, he receives a small variety of functions each two months from corporations considering him representing their manufacturers.

“He is actually good at what he does,” Lauterbach mentioned. “It brings a degree of vitality, even within the scorching solar, we work with youngsters and canines, and there are challenges with that. It retains spirits up on it.”

Whereas persevering with his work in commercials, Gronkowski may even seem in “80 for Brady,” the place he reunites with quarterback and with former Patriots teammates Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola. It additionally plans to host the USA As we speak Excessive College Sports activities Awards on the finish of the month.

He’s taking a extra energetic function in his brother Chris Gronkowski’s Ice Shaker Firm and needs to hitch his father’s firm G&G Health Gear.

“I am not likely retired,” Gronkowski mentioned. “It is solely from the sport of soccer. … not from life. … when folks begin to retire, they begin to die.”

However did Gronkowski actually end soccer after agent Drew Rosenhouse advised ESPN’s Adam Shifter he may see the return of the tight finish and Gronk’s girlfriend, Camille Kostik, reportedly echoed the identical sentiments, based on studies, this week?

What if the Bucs made a championship? What if Brady got here to name?

Gronkowski answered these questions Monday morning.

“Clearly I’ll reply [the call]. It is the best contact I’ve ever had. “We’ve got a fantastic relationship, each on and off the sector,” Gronkowski mentioned. “We’re pals. … However I’m not going again to soccer. I’m prepared. I take pleasure in what I do, and I take pleasure in looking for what I actually need to do subsequent.”

So why is he retiring now, with Brady pledging no less than one other yr?

“It was my resolution to cease. It was positively time. It felt like he was proper,” Gronkowski, whose profession ended with 4 Tremendous Bowl episodes — three with the Patriots and one with the Buccaneers, mentioned Gronkowski.

He leaves in good well being and on his personal phrases. It is no small feat for a person who broke down in tears remembering the evening the Patriots received the Tremendous Bowl in 2019 – when he could not get off the bed resulting from a quadriceps harm (that will take away a liter of blood from the muscle) – or who was compelled to overlook 5 video games in Common season final yr resulting from rib fractures and a perforated lung.

Gronkowski, who has had 9 surgical procedures and a handful of documented concussions with “who is aware of what number of little youngsters,” retired in 2020 to hitch Brady in Tampa regardless of harm dangers.

“I really feel good. I really feel actually good. It feels good to really feel good,” mentioned Gronkowski, who as soon as suffered a ruptured ACL, a ruptured coronary heart muscle, and a concussion in the identical match.

“Each time I went out to the soccer discipline I left every little thing I had. If it was throughout coaching, if it was in a match, if I did not really feel my greatest within the sport or coaching, I nonetheless gave it my all each time. So It isn’t like I am trying again, you already know, wishing, ‘Man, I ought to have executed that. I ought to have executed this. I imply, there are issues that you’d clearly change. I imply, however that is studying. That is the way you study in life. You may change it subsequent time.

“However I positively really feel completed. …I really feel completed in my profession, and actually, issues have gone higher than I ever thought.”

He acknowledged a actuality not often talked about for a lot of skilled athletes: retirement might be scary. You go from outlining each facet of your life—each assembly, each observe, each appointment—to an open schedule with a clean canvas. You additionally go from doing one thing on the highest degree and reaching world recognition to questioning what’s subsequent.

“In case you’ve been taking part in sports activities because you had been two years previous, that is all you already know, you already know,” Gronkowski mentioned. “I bought you to varsity and you bought into it [the] The professionals make an honest residing, then ship you from there – after which you do not actually know what to do…as a result of athletics bought you that far. You rely upon it to make all of your connections in life.

“It positively is usually a scary street. I imply, I am not likely afraid — I am prepared. I really feel like there’s quite a lot of job alternative. I do know I need to get into the enterprise world.”

Gronkowski mentioned staying energetic and collaborating in a number of tasks within the low season gave him a forward-looking view of life in retirement, and he credit his siblings – all former athletes – for his or her steering within the transition into the enterprise world. He remodeled $70 million from the NFL however barely touched it, relying as a substitute on his endorsements.

“They took the work ethic from the soccer discipline and carried it to the subsequent chapter of life, and that’s one thing it’s important to do,” Gronkowski mentioned. “You can not calm down if you wish to achieve success within the subsequent chapter of your life. You need to be every little thing, and it’s important to grind.”