Rob Gronkowski Posts Message to Tom Brady After QB’s Retirement

Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski paid his respect to Tom Brady on Wednesday following the quarterback’s retirement.
“Tommy Boy!!! This football journey with you has been nothing short of special,” Gronkowski wrote in an Instagram post. “Thank you for your dedication to the game, putting the team in the best possible position to win every year, all the records that were broken, the Super Bowls, the memories, and your friendship through the last 12 years.
“If you commit even just 10% of what you committed to football in whatever you do next, you will be super duper successful. I witnessed greatness for so many years and got to learn from the best to ever do it.”
Gronkowski added a delightful video along with his message, ensuring fans the duo will be friends forever.
Brady and Gronkowski are among the top quarterback-pass catcher combinations in NFL history. The duo connected for 93 touchdowns in 141 games together, adding 15 touchdowns in the postseason.
Gronkowski has not decided if he will return in 2022. He is a four-time Super Bowl champion and a four-time All-Pro, likely headed for the Hall-of-Fame alongside the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
More Tom Brady Coverage:
- Photos: Every Tom Brady Sports Illustrated Cover
- Sportsperson Outtakes: Tom Brady, In His Own Words
- SI Vault: The Ultimate Teammate
- Tom Brady's Exit, And The Void That Comes With It
- Get SI's Tom Brady Retirement Commemorative
- SICovers.com: Shop SI's Tom Brady Covers

Michael Shapiro is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. He is a Denver native and 2018 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin.