Rob Gronkowski Admits He Would Be Surprised If Tom Brady Returns To Patriots

Despite announcing his retirement, Tom Brady returned to the NFL to play another season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Brady and the Bucs faced Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys last night, but came up short, ending their playoff run for this season. Now that the Buccaneers are eliminated from the playoffs, many are wondering where Tom Brady will end up.

Will Brady return to the NFL for another season? Will he stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or will he return to the New England Patriots? Former teammate and longtime friend Rob Gronkowski is speaking out on what he thinks will happen in the upcoming free agency.

The former NFL tight end recently went on to "New Heights" where he told Jason and Travis Kelce he would be "surprised" if Tom Brady returned to the New England Patriots.

"I would 100 percent be surprised if he went back to New England, no doubt," the 33-year-old said. "It would be nuts, it would be a crazy story, but I just really don't see that happening."

"I'm not Tom, I'm just putting my analyzing skills out there, and I think that would be a tough shot for him, but it's open," Gronkowski continued.

On Sunday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that there are a few teams currently looking at signing the 45-year-old quarterback. Those teams include the Tennessee Titans, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Las Vegas Raiders.

“He’ll be 46 years old and I would say there’s a chance that he does not return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite the fact that they very much want him back and plan to make efforts toward that,” Rapoport said during “NFL GameDay” on Sunday. “Among the teams that would consider Brady — a couple of them considered Brady last time [in his first free agency in 2020].”

“The Tennessee Titans still have some quarterback questions,” Rapoport continued. “The 49ers if they do not decide to roll with Brock Purdy, although he’s certainly stating his case. And then the Las Vegas Raiders, who have several of his old friends including Josh McDaniels.”

At this time, there is no confirmation on if Tom Brady will return to the NFL, and if he does, where he would end up for the upcoming season.

The NFL quarterback recently opened up about the “mental, emotional, and physical” challenges he has had to overcome in 2022.

“A lot of them are very personal that I really don’t care to share, I really don’t,” he said while on Monday’s episode of his SiriusXM podcast Let’s Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray.

“We all have physical, mental, emotional aspects to us” that “are challenged” each year he expressed before saying, “Some years you are challenged a little more physically and you gotta overcome adversities physically.”

Brady added that he now has “a lot more empathy for guys who” are able to remain positive during a tough season like this one is for him. “It’s something I haven’t had to deal with before,” he explained. “It’s life, you’re not entitled to winning. No one’s guaranteed tomorrow.”