Rob Gronkowski announced his second retirement from the NFL on Instagram in January 2022. His first retirement was in 2019, and he has decided not to play his age-33 season. Many are not surprised by this and believe that this is due to his injuries. Hence, some have speculated that Gronkowski is taking a break until he fully recovers.
With players like Tom Brady, who have also retired and returned to the NFL, we cannot entirely shut the doors to Gronkowski’s return. He is of the best tight-end players, if not the best, in the history of the NFL. However, it doesn’t seem like there will be a massive gap without him. Yes, he will leave a hole, but it won’t be to the point of compromising the Bucs’ performance. You can still play along with the Bucs through football betting on Unibet USA for example, for the 2022 NFL season.
Gronkowski’s Achievements
Gronk’s NFL career began 11 seasons ago with the New England Patriots. He played nine seasons with the Patriots and the last two with Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Throughout these seasons, he has been Brady’s right-hand man. Being the best tight-end player he has always been, Gronkowski has won four Super Bowls in his NFL career.
He received the three Super Bowl rings while with the Patriots, then the last one with the Buccaneers. In addition to these titles, Gronk has 9,286 yards, 92 touchdowns and an average of 134 fantasy points each season. With these achievements and more, this tight end player’s impact on the Bucs cannot be denied. He had a considerable contribution to the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV championship. No one can forget how he caught Brady’s touchdowns for 67 yards, which helped bring the Lombardi Trophy home.
The Bucs Will Be Just Fine
The ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday stated that he does not see the Buccaneers losing their spot from being part of the top three NFC teams. He went on to say that Tom Brady would be able to bring other players along. The Bucs have many other players with the potential to maintain the team’s ‘on the map’ status. Some are underrated and need this pressure to shine further and gain recognition.
Russell Gage, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are players we hope will help Brady keep the light on the Tampa Bay team even without Gronkowski. Receiving a 16% target share last season makes Evans one of the most underrated players in the NFL. The wide receiver has constantly shown great performances by maintaining no less than 1,000 receiving yards throughout his NFL seasons.
Though Godwin is currently nursing a knee injury, if he can come back this season, he is one player who participates very well. Besides, he finished last year as the WR8 in PPR leagues. Gage is another player worth looking at and relying on in the game. With 11.7 yards each reception, he can hold the first few matches and even longer while the team waits for Godwin.
Final Thoughts
Gronk’s retirement may have caused panic among some Bucs fans. However, given the history of how some retirements have gone, there is hope that Gronkowski will one day return. Also, the Buccaneers are fully equipped to play the 2022 NFL season without him. There is no denying that he is a great tight-end player. Even his achievements and rewards prove so. His impact and contribution to the offence force of the team will always stand out. With the remaining players, the Bucs will be able to maintain its standard.
