Patriots' Tom Brady Says He Won't Lobby for Rob Gronkowski to Unretire

Tom Brady would probably love to have a player of Rob Gronkowski's caliber back in New England's offense, giving him another big target to work with in the middle of the field or in the red zone. 

But the star quarterback isn't going to push for the tight end to return to football. 

"I love that guy. I'm so happy that he's enjoying his time, his life. He seems to really be doing a lot of great things," Brady said during his weekly radio appearances on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show. "He knows how I feel about him. I want what's best for him. He's the only person that can make those decisions. I don't lobby for those things."

"I have a great relationship with him. He has given actually a hell of a lot to our team already over the course of a long period of time, and I think people should be very appreciative for what he's brought to the team and what he's brought to the region," Brady continued. "I think he's a very special guy. He's just in a different phase of his life."

With Gronkowski now working with Fox Sports, a comeback to the NFL seems highly unlikely, though it isn't entirely out of the question.

The 30-year-old said during his first appearance as a Fox analyst on Thursday that he hasn't totally closed the door on potentially returning to the NFL in the future, per Mike Reiss of ESPN, but that while he felt he could physically play, he isn't mentally prepared to do so.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft, meanwhile, said on the NFL Network on Thursday night that the future Hall of Famer has yet to submit his retirement papers and that he can only "pray and hope" Gronk considers a comeback.

While the Pats have opened the season 6-0, it's clear that Gronkowski's presence on the field has been missed. At tight end, neither Ryan Izzo (nine receptions for 114 yards and a score) or Matt LaCrosse (three receptions for 55 yards) has come anywhere close to replicating Gronkowski's impact. 

That hasn't mattered to this point, with players like Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, James White and Phillip Dorsett giving Brady solid weapons in the passing game. But there's little doubt that tight end is a weakness for the Patriots after so many years of it being a strength, and it's one that could be a detriment to the team in the postseason.

For now, the Patriots haven't missed a beat. But against top teams, the absence of a player like Gronkowski will be felt. Just don't expect Brady to lobby for his return.