Robert Kraft had an idea.
The New England Patriots owner was seated near Rob Gronkowski on Wednesday, and he couldn't help but suggest it: Gronk should suit up and play on Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets.
Never mind that the legendary tight end hadn't played in the NFL since 2021.
This was Gronk, one of the most dominant offensive players to ever take the field. Surely he could still make an impact, right?
We'll never know.
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Is Gronk playing tonight?
No, Rob Gronkowski is not playing on Thursday Night Football for the Patriots against the Jets.
He's freshly in the news because he signed a one-day contract on Wednesday to officially retire from the NFL as a member of the Patriots.
Is there an alternate reality where the Pats instead get Gronk to come out of retirement and play the rest of the season for the AFC East leaders? Maybe.
But that's not what happened here.
Kraft quipped about the idea of a "two-day contract," and it was a fun joke in the moment.
But it doesn't mean Drake Maye gets to throw to the guy who was Tom Brady's favorite target. Gronkowski made one NFL comeback, having sat out 2019 before playing with the Buccaneers in 2020 and 2021 with Brady.
He's retired now, officially, and any ideas to the contrary are just one-liners to draw some laughs.
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