Rob Gronkowski Told Patriots He’d Retire When He Learned They Were Working On Trade

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Patriots were engaged in trade talks involving TE Rob Gronkowski during the offseason and had “several” interested teams at one point. In fact, Rapoport says that it appeared as though a trade involving Gronkowski would get done.

However, Gronkowski “strongly resisted” being trading and informed the Patriots that he would retire rather than play for a new team, coach or quarterback.

Had Gronkowski been traded, he likely would have received a new contract but this gave him some leverage in the situation, seeing as he could refuse to negotiate with a team looking to acquire him in a trade.

The Patriots decided to hold an in-person meeting with coach Bill Belichick, Gronkowski’s agent Drew Rosenhaus and himself, which led to the announcement that he was returning.

The two parties agreed to a restructured deal a few weeks ago that added $4.3 million to Gronkowski’s contract this year to go along with $1 million in per-game bonuses and $3.3 million in incentives. This boosts his 2018 max value to $13.050 million.

Gronkowski can earn $1.1 million for 70 or more catches, $1.1 million for 80 percent playtime, $1.1 million for nine or more TD catches, and $1.1 million for 1,085 receiving yards. If Gronkowski can earn three of those four incentives, it would boost his salary another $3.3 million.

Gronkowski’s 2018 base salary remains $8 million and he still has two years left on his contract.

Gronkowski, 28, is a former second-round pick of the Patriots back in 2010. He is in the sixth year of his eight-year, $55.23 million contract that included $13.17 million guaranteed.

Gronkowski has outplayed this contract by a mile and was one of the most underpaid players in the NFL. He was set to make base salaries of $8 million (2018) and $9 million (2019) over the remainder of the contract when he agreed to a restructured contract last summer.

In 2017, Gronkowski appeared in 14 games and caught 69 passes for 1,084 yards receiving and eight touchdowns for the Patriots.