Even though he’s had more surgeries than Super Bowls and Pro Bowls combined, Rob Gronkowski has no intention to stop playing football.
The Patriots tight end is coming off his eighth surgery, and the third on his problematic back, but told ESPN there was “no doubt” he’d be ready for the start of the 2017 season.
And if this one has made him contemplate his future in the game, it’s hard to tell.
“I’m not really sure,” he said when asked how long he wants to play. “I still love playing the game, and as of right now, I want to play as long as I can possibly play. My mindset is to keep on going.”
Gronkowski only played eight games last year, and he’s only played 16 games twice in his seven NFL seasons. His back problems were a concern for many teams when he was coming out in the 2010 NFL Draft, and he had two previous surgeries to repair herniated disks (in 2009 and 2013).