Report: Rob Gronkowski Signs With WWE, Will Appear at ‘WrestleMania’

Rob Gronkowski is making a comeback, just not to the NFL.

Gronk has signed with WWE, The Wrap’s Tony Maglio reports, and will appear on the March 20 edition of SmackDown Live. The current plan is for Gronkowski to begin a feud building toward an appearance at WrestleMania 36 on April 5 and a match that will occur after WrestleMania, according to Maglio. 

Pro Wrestling Sheet's Ryan Satin reported Tuesday night on FS1’s WWE Backstage that the former Patriots tight end was close to finalizing a deal with WWE. 

Gronkowski previously appeared at WrestleMania 33 where he assisted in Mojo Rawley's victory in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal over Jinder Mahal.

Last month, in the lead-up to Super Bowl LIV in Miami, Gronkowski was also photographed alongside Rawley with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

The future Hall of Fame tight end retired from the NFL last March. He won three Super Bowls and was a four-time All-Pro in nine seasons with New England before leaving the game as one of the sport's all-time greatest tight ends. 

He finished his NFL career with 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 receiving touchdowns.

Gronkowski joined FOX Sports in 2019 as an NFL studio analyst. He contributed to FOX NFL Thursday, where he made his network television debut, FOX NFL Sunday, and additionally appeared in the network's pregame Super Bowl coverage.

As rumors of Gronkowski’s potential retirement swirled before Super Bowl LIII in 2019, WWE executive Paul “Triple H” Levesque told SI.com that the larger-than-life football star would be welcome in the over-the-top world of WWE. 

“Gronk has mentioned WWE before, that he loves it and said had so much fun doing it,” Levesque said. “I don’t know if it’s something he’d be seriously interested in, but that’s how the conversation started with Ronda Rousey, too. Certainly the door is open for him at WWE.”