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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — After nine seasons and three Super Bowl wins with New England, Rob Gronkowski put pen on paper and officially retired as a Patriot.
The legendary tight end signed a one-day contract with the team that drafted him 42nd overall back in 2010. In his nine years in New England had over 7,800 receiving yards and 79 touchdowns. While he had his fair share of exciting moments in a Patriots uniform, Gronkowski said one stands out.
“Winning my first Super Bowl here, that was the ultimate goal,” Gronkowski said. “That first one will always be my favorite one.”
Gronkowski had six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. Reflecting on his journey, Gronkowski said he loved playing for the Patriots, even if it was tough at times.
“I needed to be in that situation,” Gronkowski said. “I needed it to be tough on me. It made me who I am, it made me the player that I am.”
He also gives a lot of credit to Patriots fans for supporting him throughout his career and helping him be himself. Gronkowski credits the fans for the Gronk Spike, which became his signature celebration.
“I always wanted to spike a football and then I spike it and they just took it to a whole another level,” Gronkowski said. “They were like ‘the Gronk Spike is the greatest thing ever’ and I’m like ‘I was just spiking.’ The fans here in New England just made it so great.”
Former Patriots players David Andrews, Rob Ninkovich, and Brian Hoyer attended the ceremony.
Speaking before the signing, Patriots owner Robert Kraft mentioned the event was supposed to take place next year after Gronkowski’s inevitable election to the Patriots’ Hall of Fame. However, they decided to move up the ceremony at the request of someone dear to Gronkowski—former Patriots cheerleader and CharityTeams founder Susan Hurley.
Hurley worked alongside Gronkowski’s charity and helped him secure bibs for the Boston Marathon and create Rob Gronkowski Park along the Esplanade. She died earlier this month after a battle with ovarian cancer, but Kraft said one of her last wishes was to see Gronkowski retire as a Patriot.
Gronkowski spoke about when he first decided to partner with Hurley for his foundation.
“I knew that she was the one,” Gronkowski said. “I didn’t talk to anyone else I was like ‘wow I never seen anyone have so much passion and so much grace for what they want to do.’”
Gronkowski will be the keeper of the light and ring the Gillette Stadium light house bell ahead of Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets on Nov. 13.
WBZ NewsRadio's Kyle Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.