Brady wants Gronk back but says decision 'totally up to him'

Rob Gronkowski said in early April that he needed time to consider his future following Tom Brady's dramatic return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But more than two months have passed, and the star tight end has yet to make a decision.

Even though he hopes his longtime teammate opts for one more ride, Brady said Thursday he knows Gronkowski has to decide for himself whether to continue playing.

"I think it's just obviously totally up to him, and we'd all obviously love to play with him, but he's got to make the best decision for himself, and he knows that," Brady said, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "Anyone who cares about him knows that he's doing what's right for him, which is trying to figure it out.

"We don't have training camp for about six weeks, so whatever he's got to do to figure it out, and I think we'll be hopeful if he does, and if he doesn't, we still got to go out there and figure out what to do."

Gronkowski previously retired at the end of the 2018 season while with the New England Patriots. He sat out the 2019 campaign before unretiring and joining Brady in Tampa via trade.

The 33-year-old managed to avoid the injuries that plagued him throughout his career during the 2020 campaign, suiting up for all 16 regular-season games and four postseason contests.

But Gronkowski missed seven games in 2021 after suffering multiple rib fractures and a punctured lung in Week 3. He finished the year with 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns.