New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski officially announced his retirement earlier this week. Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio has no doubt about his status as the premier tight end of his generation.

Gronkowski's retirement has sparked debate regarding his legacy as one of the best tight ends in NFL history. According to Zack Kelberman of 247 Sports, Vic Fangio was willing to declare him the best of his decade:

“I don’t know about ever. In the last 10 years, for sure,” Fangio said Tuesday at the annual league meeting in Phoenix. “He was one of the few guys that could do the in-line blocking and could do all of the traditional tight end routes from an in-line position. But he could go split-out like a receiver and run some routes as a receiver. His biggest thing was that he was so big, so good catching the ball in unusual spots and he had a great quarterback throwing it to him that he was a tough guy to defend.”

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There is certainly plenty of truth to Fangio's comments. Although Gronkowski did not enjoy the type of longevity other tight ends may have had, he did manage to accomplish more than what most could have dreamed of. He finished his nine-year career with 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns.

Gronkowski was named First-Team All-Pro four times. He was a five-time Pro Bowler. Of course, his crowning achievement will be the three Super Bowls he won with the Patriots. Not only has he built up quite a resume as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but his legacy as one of the most dominant forces in NFL history is secure and entrenched.