Patriots Country

How to Watch Patriots' Rob Gronkowski’s Contract Signing

The New England Patriots have revealed more information on when former tight end Rob Gronkowski will be signing his contract to allow for his retirement as a Patriot.
Feb 3, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) reacts after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images
Feb 3, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) reacts after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images | John David Mercer-Imagn Images

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New England Patriots fans everywhere can rejoice and mark their calendars for Nov. 12.

On FOX NFL Sunday legendary tight end Rob Gronkowski announced that he will be signing a one-day contract with his former team this week in order to retire with the team that originally drafted him (No. 42 overall). The announcement was made in the midst of the Patriots eventually taking down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — the other team Gronk won a Super Bowl with — in a 28-23 road win for New England.

In nine seasons with the Pats, Gronkowski played in 115 games and was on three teams that eventually won Super Bowl championships. His 17 touchdowns in 2011 still remain a league record for receiving scores by a tight end, and his 79 career touchdowns still puts him on top of the Patriots' franchise record books.

What to Know About the Rob Gronkowski Signing

Gronkowski will be signing his one-day contract on Nov. 12 at 12:15 p.m. EST, which will be available for streaming live on Patriots.com and on social media.

"I am signing a one-day contract with the Patriots this week coming up to retire as a Patriot and be a Patriot for life, just like all of you out here," Gronkowski said on the broadcast while gesturing to a large group of military veterans in the crowd. "So I'm going with the Patriots, but I know Tom [Brady] and he is still bitter the Patriots let him go for his final three seasons in the NFL, so he's secretly rooting for the Buccaneers."

Gronk also set the Patriots' franchise record for receiving yards in a season by a tight end with 1,327 yards in 2011. He concluded his league playing career in 2021 with a final career total of 9,286 receiving yards alongside 92 total touchdowns.

The TE and future Patriots Hall of Famer was traded to Tampa Bay ahead of the 2020 season and won Super Bowl LV with quarterback Tom Brady also on the Buccaneers' roster.

Gronkowski previously said at the unveiling of the Gronk Playground in Boston that he'd love to sign a contract with New England for his retirement tradition. Defensive lineman Lawrence Guy also recently participated in the one-day contract rendition.

Following their win over Tampa Bay, the Patriots have improved to a 8-2 overall record and currently sit atop the AFC East. New England is also tied with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos for best overall league record.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!


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Jennifer Streeter
JENNIFER STREETER

Jennifer Streeter graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M and received her Master of Science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At both schools, she focused on an emphasis of sports reporting. A former athlete herself, "Jenny" was a varsity soccer player and comes from a family who participated in NCAA athletics. She has covered everything from the 2025 Hughes Bowl, SEC football, Ivy League athletics, the 2023 ALCS and the 2023 World Series, the WNBA, and much more.

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