Rob Gronkowski wants to play with Joe Burrow after Tom Brady’s retirement

Rob Gronkowski has set his sights on a new quarterback following pal Tom Brady’s recent retirement.

During a Q&A on Tuesday for Autograph NFTs, the Buccaneers tight end revealed he would be open to catching passes from the Bengals’ Joe Burrow, who is set to play in his first Super Bowl on Sunday.

“I kinda like this young buck quarterback. He’s in the Super Bowl now: It’s Joe Burrow, man,” Gronkowski said, according to Mass Live. “I watched him in college. I just love the way he presents himself out on the football field. In the pocket he’s just so calm and he just slings it out on the field.”

Gronkowski, who has only caught passes from Brady throughout his 11-season career, also gushed over Burrow’s “swag.”

“I had to pick a quarterback it’d be the young buck Joe Burrow,” the tight end, 32, added. “He’s killing it right now in the game.”

Burrow, the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, can potentially add a Super Bowl ring to his already impressive collection of glitzy accessories Sunday with a win over the Rams. Gronkowski, meanwhile, won his fourth Super Bowl last year with Brady, in their first season together as Buccaneers. Tampa Bay came close to a Super Bowl repeat but was eliminated by Los Angeles in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

In the days after the game, speculation about Brady’s retirement ran rampant in the news cycle. Last week, the seven-time Super Bowl champion made it official, announcing he’d be stepping away from the NFL after 22 seasons.

Although it remains to be seen if Gronkowski will retire for the second time or suit up again — the Buccaneers have already expressed that he’s welcome to return — the 2022 offseason could be the year when the five-time Pro Bowler answers the call from Burrow.