BuccaneersFan.com • Player Spotlight • No. 87
Portrait: NFL
Tight end • Retired
A comeback built for a championship
Robert James Gronkowski • “Gronk”
- Born
- May 14, 1989
- Hometown
- Williamsville, New York
- Listed NFL size
- 6 feet 6 inches • 265 pounds
- High schools
- Williamsville North, New York
Woodland Hills, Pennsylvania - College
- Arizona, 2007–2009
Played in 2007 and 2008; missed 2009 - NFL Draft
- 2010 • Round 2 • Pick 42
New England Patriots - NFL career
- New England, 2010–2018
Tampa Bay, 2020–2021 - Final season
- 2021 • Retired in June 2022
Profile: NFL listing, Arizona biography and full-name reference. Honors: Patriots career summary and Buccaneers retirement retrospective. Championship rings and personal Super Bowl appearances are explained below.
Clear the deck. Gronk is coming aboard.
A touchdown catch, a thunderous spike and a grin large enough to light up the pirate ship: Rob Gronkowski fit comfortably into Tampa Bay’s celebration plans. The work that earned those celebrations included blocking at the line, finding space downfield and giving his quarterback a trusted target when the game tightened.
After a season away from football, Gronkowski returned in 2020 through a trade that reunited him with Tom Brady. The Buccaneers acquired an accomplished tight end willing to learn a new offense and help chase another championship. The trade • The adjustment.
His Tampa Bay stay lasted two seasons. It delivered a Super Bowl ring, a division title and a pair of touchdown catches that belong in every retelling of the Buccaneers’ championship night at Raymond James Stadium.
The Buccaneers chapter
Two seasons. A lasting place in Tampa Bay history.
In 28 regular-season games for Tampa Bay, Gronkowski caught 100 passes for 1,425 yards and 13 touchdowns. His six Buccaneers playoff appearances added 17 catches, 226 yards and three scores. Tampa Bay career retrospective.
| Season | G | GS | Team W–L | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | Season finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 16 | 16 | 11–5 | 45 | 623 | 13.8 | 48 | 7 | Super Bowl LV champions |
| 2021 | 12 | 12 | 13–4 | 55 | 802 | 14.6 | 42 | 6 | NFC South champions; lost divisional round |
G = games played; GS = games started; Rec = receptions; Yds = receiving yards; Avg = yards per catch; Long = longest reception; TD = receiving touchdowns. Team W–L includes all Buccaneers games. Swipe or scroll across tables on smaller screens; keyboard users can focus a table area and use the arrow keys.
Sources: official Buccaneers team statistics for 2020 and 2021, with games and starts from the NFL career summary.
April 2020 The reunion arrives by trade.
On April 21, Tampa Bay acquired Gronkowski and a seventh-round draft choice from New England for a fourth-round pick. The Patriots still held his playing rights after his first retirement.
Brady’s move south had opened the door to a new chapter together. Trade announcement • Buccaneers report.
2020 season Twenty games. One championship.
Gronkowski played all 16 regular-season games and all four playoff games. His return involved getting comfortable in a new offense while contributing to the running game as a blocker.
He later described finding his rhythm around midseason. By February, he was catching the Buccaneers’ first two Super Bowl touchdowns. His return in perspective.
2021 season A productive final voyage.
After signing a new one-year deal, he caught 55 passes for 802 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games. Rib and back injuries interrupted the season, but his receiving-yardage total exceeded his first Tampa Bay year.
He announced his second retirement on June 21, 2022. New contract • Season review • Retirement.
February 7, 2021 • Raymond James Stadium
Two touchdowns. One unforgettable night.
Super Bowl LV • Final
31 – 9
TAMPA BAY / KANSAS CITY
A familiar connection.
A championship in pewter and red.
BRADY TO GRONK. TWICE.
With 37 seconds left in the first quarter, Brady found Gronkowski for an eight-yard touchdown. The extra point put Tampa Bay ahead 7–3, completing a 75-yard drive.
At 6:05 of the second quarter, the pair connected again, this time from 17 yards. Another extra point made it 14–3. Gronkowski had supplied the Buccaneers’ first two touchdowns, and Tampa Bay carried its lead through the rest of the night.
6 receptions • 67 receiving yards
2 touchdowns • Fourth championship ring
Super Bowl LV concluded the 2020 NFL season. The game was played in February 2021.
Sources: official NFL gamebook and Buccaneers championship recap.
Arizona • New England • Tampa Bay
The making of No. 87
A big target in the desert
Gronkowski grew up in the Buffalo area and attended Williamsville North before finishing high school at Woodland Hills in Pennsylvania. At Arizona, his receiving and blocking ability quickly made him a prominent part of the offense.
He produced 47 catches, 672 yards and ten touchdowns in 2008, earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors. Across his two playing seasons, he recorded 75 catches for 1,197 yards and 16 scores.
A back injury and surgery kept him out for all of 2009. He entered the 2010 NFL Draft with considerable production and a significant injury interruption behind him.
Sources: Arizona roster biography and statistics and Arizona’s draft preview.
A record-setting rise in New England
The Patriots traded up to select him 42nd overall in 2010. His second NFL season brought 90 receptions, 1,327 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns, establishing a single-season touchdown-catch record for tight ends.
He added one rushing score that year, bringing his 2011 touchdown total to 18. The 1,327 receiving yards also set a tight-end record at the time.
Over nine New England seasons, Gronkowski paired his receiving production with the physical demands of the position. He earned five Pro Bowl selections and four AP first-team All-Pro selections.
Sources: 2010 draft trade, Patriots career retrospective and Arizona alumni profile.
A retirement, a reunion and another ring
In Super Bowl LIII, his 29-yard reception helped set up the only touchdown in New England’s 13–3 win over the Rams. He announced his first retirement on March 24, 2019, and sat out the following season.
His return in 2020 brought a new uniform, a new playbook and another opportunity with Brady. Tampa Bay became the final two-season chapter of an 11-season NFL playing career.
Sources: Super Bowl LIII and comeback reflection and March 2019 retirement announcement.
The numbers behind No. 87
Career statistics & honors
Gronkowski finished his regular-season career with 621 receptions, 9,286 receiving yards and 92 receiving touchdowns in 143 games. His postseason record adds 98 catches, 1,389 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns, listed separately below.
| Scope | G | GS | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL regular season | 143 | 128 | 621 | 9,286 | 15.0 | 76 | 92 |
| NFL postseason | 22 | 22 | 98 | 1,389 | 14.2 | 46 | 15 |
| Tampa Bay regular season | 28 | 28 | 100 | 1,425 | 14.3 | 48 | 13 |
| Tampa Bay postseason | 6 | 6 | 17 | 226 | 13.3 | 42 | 3 |
NFL totals include both teams. The Tampa Bay rows are subsets of those career figures. Regular-season and postseason statistics are separate, and the receiving-TD column excludes his one regular-season rushing touchdown.
Sources: NFL career statistics, official team-season tables and the game logs linked below. Averages are calculated from yards divided by receptions and rounded to one decimal.
Championships & individual honors
- Super Bowl champion: 2014, 2016 and 2018 with New England; 2020 with Tampa Bay.
- Pro Bowl: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017 seasons.
- AP first-team All-Pro: 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2017 seasons.
- AP Comeback Player of the Year: 2014 season.
Sources: Patriots honors summary, championship retrospective and Comeback Player award announcement.
A place among the greats
- NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
- NFL 100 All-Time Team.
- 2011: 17 receiving touchdowns, an NFL single-season record for a tight end.
- Patriots Hall of Fame: elected in 2026; induction scheduled for November 7.
Sources: NFL All-Decade teams, Patriots Hall profile and 2026 ceremony announcement.
Regular-season receiving • Every playing season
| Season | Team | G | GS | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | New England Patriots | 16 | 11 | 42 | 546 | 13.0 | 28 | 10 |
| 2011 | New England Patriots | 16 | 16 | 90 | 1,327 | 14.7 | 52 | 17 |
| 2012 | New England Patriots | 11 | 11 | 55 | 790 | 14.4 | 41 | 11 |
| 2013 | New England Patriots | 7 | 6 | 39 | 592 | 15.2 | 50 | 4 |
| 2014 | New England Patriots | 15 | 10 | 82 | 1,124 | 13.7 | 46 | 12 |
| 2015 | New England Patriots | 15 | 15 | 72 | 1,176 | 16.3 | 76 | 11 |
| 2016 | New England Patriots | 8 | 6 | 25 | 540 | 21.6 | 53 | 3 |
| 2017 | New England Patriots | 14 | 14 | 69 | 1,084 | 15.7 | 53 | 8 |
| 2018 | New England Patriots | 13 | 11 | 47 | 682 | 14.5 | 42 | 3 |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 16 | 16 | 45 | 623 | 13.8 | 48 | 7 |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 12 | 12 | 55 | 802 | 14.6 | 42 | 6 |
| Career | NE / TB | 143 | 128 | 621 | 9,286 | 15.0 | 76 | 92 |
NE = New England Patriots; TB = Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gronkowski did not play in 2019 while retired. His 11 playing seasons comprise 2010–2018 and 2020–2021; 2022 was the year of his retirement announcement.
Sources: NFL career receiving table and games and starts; Patriots season tables for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018; the Patriots media guide for 2017; and team tables for Tampa Bay 2020 and Tampa Bay 2021.
Postseason receiving • By NFL season
| Season | Team | G | GS | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | New England Patriots | 1 | 1 | 4 | 65 | 16.3 | 37 | 0 |
| 2011 | New England Patriots | 3 | 3 | 17 | 258 | 15.2 | 28 | 3 |
| 2012 | New England Patriots | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2014 | New England Patriots | 3 | 3 | 16 | 204 | 12.8 | 46 | 3 |
| 2015 | New England Patriots | 2 | 2 | 15 | 227 | 15.1 | 40 | 3 |
| 2017 | New England Patriots | 3 | 3 | 16 | 218 | 13.6 | 27 | 3 |
| 2018 | New England Patriots | 3 | 3 | 13 | 191 | 14.7 | 29 | 0 |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4 | 4 | 8 | 110 | 13.8 | 29 | 2 |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 | 2 | 9 | 116 | 12.9 | 42 | 1 |
| Career | NE / TB | 22 | 22 | 98 | 1,389 | 14.2 | 46 | 15 |
Season labels follow the preceding regular season. His 2012 postseason appearance is included even though he did not record a reception. He did not appear in the playoffs following the 2013 or 2016 seasons.
Sources: Gronkowski’s New England postseason record in the 2020 Buccaneers media guide, the game logs below and Tampa Bay team postseason statistics for 2020 and 2021.
Every playoff appearance • 22 games
| Season | Game date | Team | Round | Opponent | Result | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Jan. 16, 2011 | New England Patriots | AFC Divisional | New York Jets | L 21–28 | 4 | 65 | 16.3 | 37 | 0 |
| 2011 | Jan. 14, 2012 | New England Patriots | AFC Divisional | Denver Broncos | W 45–10 | 10 | 145 | 14.5 | 28 | 3 |
| 2011 | Jan. 22, 2012 | New England Patriots | AFC Championship | Baltimore Ravens | W 23–20 | 5 | 87 | 17.4 | 23 | 0 |
| 2011 | Feb. 5, 2012 | New England Patriots | Super Bowl XLVI | New York Giants | L 17–21 | 2 | 26 | 13.0 | 20 | 0 |
| 2012 | Jan. 13, 2013 | New England Patriots | AFC Divisional | Houston Texans | W 41–28 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2014 | Jan. 10, 2015 | New England Patriots | AFC Divisional | Baltimore Ravens | W 35–31 | 7 | 108 | 15.4 | 46 | 1 |
| 2014 | Jan. 18, 2015 | New England Patriots | AFC Championship | Indianapolis Colts | W 45–7 | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 16 | 1 |
| 2014 | Feb. 1, 2015 | New England Patriots | Super Bowl XLIX | Seattle Seahawks | W 28–24 | 6 | 68 | 11.3 | 22 | 1 |
| 2015 | Jan. 16, 2016 | New England Patriots | AFC Divisional | Kansas City Chiefs | W 27–20 | 7 | 83 | 11.9 | 32 | 2 |
| 2015 | Jan. 24, 2016 | New England Patriots | AFC Championship | at Denver Broncos | L 18–20 | 8 | 144 | 18.0 | 40 | 1 |
| 2017 | Jan. 13, 2018 | New England Patriots | AFC Divisional | Tennessee Titans | W 35–14 | 6 | 81 | 13.5 | 27 | 1 |
| 2017 | Jan. 21, 2018 | New England Patriots | AFC Championship | Jacksonville Jaguars | W 24–20 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 21 | 0 |
| 2017 | Feb. 4, 2018 | New England Patriots | Super Bowl LII | Philadelphia Eagles | L 33–41 | 9 | 116 | 12.9 | 25 | 2 |
| 2018 | Jan. 13, 2019 | New England Patriots | AFC Divisional | Los Angeles Chargers | W 41–28 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 25 | 0 |
| 2018 | Jan. 20, 2019 | New England Patriots | AFC Championship | at Kansas City Chiefs | W 37–31 (OT) | 6 | 79 | 13.2 | 25 | 0 |
| 2018 | Feb. 3, 2019 | New England Patriots | Super Bowl LIII | Los Angeles Rams | W 13–3 | 6 | 87 | 14.5 | 29 | 0 |
| 2020 | Jan. 9, 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFC Wild Card | at Washington Football Team | W 31–23 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2020 | Jan. 17, 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFC Divisional | at New Orleans Saints | W 30–20 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2020 | Jan. 24, 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFC Championship | at Green Bay Packers | W 31–26 | 1 | 29 | 29.0 | 29 | 0 |
| 2020 | Feb. 7, 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Super Bowl LV | Kansas City Chiefs | W 31–9 | 6 | 67 | 11.2 | 25 | 2 |
| 2021 | Jan. 16, 2022 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFC Wild Card | Philadelphia Eagles | W 31–15 | 5 | 31 | 6.2 | 13 | 1 |
| 2021 | Jan. 23, 2022 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFC Divisional | Los Angeles Rams | L 27–30 | 4 | 85 | 21.3 | 42 | 0 |
Scores show Gronkowski’s team first. The word “at” identifies a road game; Super Bowls use the designated championship venue, including Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium. A dash for Avg or Long means no reception was recorded.
Sources: postseason entries in NFL game logs for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2021; the Patriots media guide for the 2015 game lines. Tampa Bay’s 2020 run is documented in the Washington recap, Saints gamebook, Packers recap and Super Bowl box score. The 2021 contract report confirms all 20 starts in the 2020 campaign.
Super Bowl appearances • Five games, four rings
| Season | Super Bowl | Game date | Team | Opponent | Result | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Super Bowl XLVI | Feb. 5, 2012 | New England Patriots | New York Giants | L 17–21 | 2 | 26 | 13.0 | 20 | 0 |
| 2014 | Super Bowl XLIX | Feb. 1, 2015 | New England Patriots | Seattle Seahawks | W 28–24 | 6 | 68 | 11.3 | 22 | 1 |
| 2017 | Super Bowl LII | Feb. 4, 2018 | New England Patriots | Philadelphia Eagles | L 33–41 | 9 | 116 | 12.9 | 25 | 2 |
| 2018 | Super Bowl LIII | Feb. 3, 2019 | New England Patriots | Los Angeles Rams | W 13–3 | 6 | 87 | 14.5 | 29 | 0 |
| 2020 | Super Bowl LV | Feb. 7, 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Kansas City Chiefs | W 31–9 | 6 | 67 | 11.2 | 25 | 2 |
Gronkowski played in five Super Bowls, with his teams winning three of those games. He also earned a ring with the 2016 Patriots while he was on injured reserve, so Super Bowl LI is excluded from this appearance table. These five games are already included in the postseason totals above.
Sources: the postseason game logs linked above, the December 2016 injured-reserve announcement and the Super Bowl LV gamebook.
Youth sports • Opportunity • A lasting legacy
Beyond the huddle
The Gronk Nation Youth Foundation supports young people through sports, education and fitness. Its work connects the enthusiasm associated with Gronkowski to opportunities for children to participate and grow. Foundation mission.
In May 2021, while a Buccaneer, he presented a $1.2 million gift on behalf of the foundation to support the renovation of Boston’s Charlesbank Playground. The completed Gronk Playground celebrated its opening on August 19, 2025, with accessible play and youth fitness central to the project. The original gift • The finished playground.
Investing in a place to play. The foundation’s $1.2 million donation helped launch the Charlesbank Playground renovation. Donation report.
The playing chapter closes. Gronkowski announced his second retirement after 11 NFL seasons. Buccaneers retrospective.
The playground opens. The Esplanade Association documented the opening celebration and the site’s emphasis on inclusive recreation. Project update.
A ceremonial return to Foxborough. Gronkowski signed a one-day contract to retire as a New England Patriot. His final playing season remained 2021. Patriots report.
Selected by the fans. Gronkowski was elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame. His November 7 induction remains upcoming as of this page’s publication. Election report.
Sources & statistical notes
Published November 2, 2026. Playing statistics cover his completed NFL career through his final playoff appearance in January 2022. Later recognition is dated separately.
- Player identity: the NFL profile supplies his listed playing size; Arizona supplies his birth date, hometown, schools and college statistics. Pro Football Reference records his full name.
- Receiving statistics: the tables track catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. His one rushing touchdown is outside those columns. Career and team-subset rows overlap and should not be added together.
- Games and seasons: 2019 was spent in retirement. The 2012 playoff appearance and the 2020 wild-card game are included as played games despite zero catches. Absences are excluded from appearance counts.
- Averages: Avg is receiving yards divided by catches, rounded to one decimal. The resulting NFL regular-season career average is 15.0 yards per catch. Long is the longest individual reception, not a sum.
- Championships: four rings represent the 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 seasons. Five personal Super Bowl appearances represent the 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2020 seasons. He was on injured reserve during the 2016 title run.
- Dates and honors: award years identify the season recognized. His second retirement was announced June 21, 2022; the team article appeared the following day. His Patriots Hall of Fame election occurred in April 2026, with the induction ceremony scheduled for November 7, after this page’s publication.
- Story sources: original team announcements, Arizona records, the Super Bowl gamebook and community project reports are linked beside the passages they support. The 2021 playground gift and 2025 opening are distinct events.