Rob Gronkowski is widely considered by many as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. The long-time New England Patriots star recorded 9,286 receiving yards and 92 touchdowns on 621 receptions. He won four Super Bowl titles — three with the Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — in 11 seasons. The 42nd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft was named a first-team All-Pro four times and a Pro Bowler five times.
Gronkowski initially retired after the 2018 season before returning by signing with Tampa Bay after one year away from the game. He ultimately stepped away for good following the 2021 season. He recently discussed how walking away from the sport affected him mentally.
Rob Gronkowski Shares Mental Toll of NFL Retirement
Gronkowski appeared on a May 20 episode of the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, where he discussed a wide variety of topics. Among them was retirement, where he revealed what had been unexpected since ending his playing career.
Speaking to hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan, the 2014 NFL Comeback Player of the Year was asked what he didn’t see coming with retirement.
“Being on a routine. When you’re playing ball and you’re an athlete your whole life, you always have a routine. You got to be at practice. You got to be in the film room. It’s there. It’s handed to you — a schedule every single day. That routine, you know what to do and get prepared for, and then once you retire, that routine is totally thrown out the window,” Gronkowski said.
He went more in-depth on how retirement affected his daily routine, knowing he ended a career he dedicated a lot of time to.
“It’s kind of up to you now to schedule when you’re going to work out, when you’re going to do this, when you’re going to study, all that good stuff. So, just getting on a routine and when you totally get off of it as well, it f***s with you. You’re kind of mentally weak sometimes. You’re flying all over the place. You’re not doing the right things. You’re not getting your workouts in. And all that good stuff,” he said.
“And you’re just so used to doing all that on a continuous basis. Even if you don’t feel like it, you have to do it when you’re an athlete because everyone else is doing it. You don’t have that push that around you. So, that’s the tough spot is getting that push to get to the next level and also that routine of always being on the grind and getting things done.”
Gronkowski added that his podcast with Julian Edelman, “Dudes on Dudes,” helps him have a routine. He added that he has to prepare mentally and physically for the podcast. He noted that finding guys who are on the same page helps maintain a routine.
The Patriots legend continues to maintain a strong presence in the NFL world, providing his thoughts on the ever-evolving league where stars continue to shine. While he’s proud to have done so much in his playing career, it is apparent that he has gotten himself together with his current routine.