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Rob Gronkowski expected to play in 2018

By Matt Verderame

FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 13: Rob Gronkowski No. 87 of the New England Patriots looks on before the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 13: Rob Gronkowski No. 87 of the New England Patriots looks on before the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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The New England Patriots are reportedly going to get at least one more year of tight end Rob Gronkowski, who has decided to return in 2018.

After a month of uncertainty following a terse and mysterious post-Super Bowl press conference, word has come down on Rob Gronkowski. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Gronkowski will return in 2018, a decision that was largely expected.

Gronkowski, 28, remains the most dominant tight end in the game alongside Travis Kelce. The five-time First-Team All-Pro has two years left on his contract with New England, and perhaps that’s his timeline until hanging up the cleats.

Unlike many NFL players, Gronkowski appears to have his future mapped out. He’s already beginning to dabble in Hollywood and has shown interest in working with the WWE. At 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, Gronkowski has a personality to match his size, making him a perfect fit for either direction.

If there was a driving force behind contemplating retirement, it has to be the injuries. The 2011 second-round pick has endured back, forearm and knee injuries, along with a recent concussion in the AFC Championship Game. In fact, Gronkowski has not played a full 16-game season since 2012.

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The Patriots are already looking at a long offseason after falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII. New England has a bevy of free agents who are likely to leave in the coming weeks including running backs Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead, receiver Danny Amendola, tackle Nate Solder and cornerback Malcolm Butler.