After retiring in March of 2019 and sitting out the past season, future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski is back in the NFL. The four-time All-Pro selection shocked the football world on Tuesday (April 19) when he expressed interest in reuniting with his former quarterback Tom Brady, who had signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.

The New England Patriots, who still owned the rights to their former star, traded Gronkowski to the Buccaneers in exchange for a future fourth and seventh-round picks. With Gronk reunited with Brady and officially back in the NFL, the 30-year-old spoke with FOX's Jay Glazer on how it feels to return after his brief retirement.

“I’m back. I always said when I have that feeling and it feels right, I will be ready to take the field again. And I have that feeling. I’m ready,” Rob Gronkowski said in a text to Glazer.

Gronk's retirement after the 2018 season came as a bit of a surprise to many, as the star tight end had played just nine seasons in the NFL and was still widely considered one of the best players at his position.

However, the 6-foot-6, 268-pound tight end had struggled with injuries in his last few seasons and in his career in general. There was talk of a Gronk return to New England last season, especially considering the Patriots' immense struggles at the position without him.

Gronkowski joins a loaded Buccaneers passing attack that features Brady, fellow tight end O.J. Howard and superstar receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.