Rob Gronkowski, Michael Jordan, Marshawn Lynch, Biggest Pro Athlete Returns

Rob Gronkowski is apparently back. 

The New England Patriots reportedly agreed to trade Gronk and a seventh-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a fourth-round selection.

"Pending the physical, Rob has agreed to play for Tampa this season. He will honor his current contract at this time," agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

To call Gronkowski's return a shock would be disingenuous. Gronk has been hinting since the moment he retired that he might be making a comeback. He even told Andy Cohen that he couldn't rule out a return as recently as Monday.

What Gronk's return does, however, do is join a shortlist of top athletes who have retired and come back to their respective sport. Here is a look at some of the biggest, not including Brett Favre, who didn't even miss a game during his "retirement," Roger Clemens, who retired and returned the next season repeatedly toward the end of his career.

Rob Gronkowski

Resume: Three-time Super Bowl champion, four-time All-Pro, five-time Pro Bowler

Retirement Length: one season

Let's start out with Gronk, who has a chance to return instantly to Pro Bowl form. Arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history, Gronk doesn't turn 31 until May 14 and still theoretically has years' worth of prime football remaining. He'll be reuniting with Tom Brady, the only quarterback he's ever known, and have wideouts Chris Godwin and Mike Evans to stretch the field.

That said, there is also plenty of reason to believe Gronk won't be the same player in his return. He was limited to 13 games during his final season in New England and at times looked like a shell of himself, with the years of wear and tear on his body finally taking their toll. His retirement didn't come from a lack of love for football; it came because his body was battered to the point he needed to walk away.

A year away from the sport apparently has him feeling renewed, but Gronkowski's history of concussions, back injuries and other ailments make this anything short of a slam dunk.

Michael Jordan

Resume, Retirement One: Three-time NBA champion, three-time MVP, nine-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, six-time All-Defense

Resume, Retirement Two: six-time NBA champion, five-time MVP, 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defense

Retirement Length: 18 months (first retirement); three years (second retirement)

Jordan had a case of two very different returns from retirement.

His first came after an 18-month hiatus to play minor league baseball, and he came back without missing a step. The Bulls won the championship in each of his three remaining full seasons with the franchise, he added two MVPs and firmly etched his name as the greatest basketball player of all time.

His second, most of us would probably like to forget. While Jordan was still a fine player during his brief two-year stint with the Washington Wizards, he paled in comparison to the player he was in Chicago. The Wizards struggled to compete, Jordan feuded with young teammates, and the entire era ended in a whimper and an immediate divorce from the franchise.

Verdict: First retirement worth it; second very much not

Mario Lemieux

Resume: Two-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Conn Smythe winner, eight-time All-Star

Retirement Length: Three years

Lemieux saved hockey in Pittsburgh. There's no other way to put it. His purchase of the Penguins and subsequent return to the ice brought back fan interest for a team that was riddled with debut and on the precipice of a move outside Western Pennsylvania. 

For that alone, Lemieux's debut was a rousing success. From an individual and team performance perspective, it was a little more hit or miss. Lemieux was a near-constant fixture on the injury list, missing at least 15 games in each of his five comeback seasons and only topping 50 games played once. The Penguins also failed to make the playoffs in four of his five seasons with the franchise.

That said, there's not a person in Pittsburgh who would change a thing about Lemieux's return.

Verdict: Worth it

Magic Johnson

Resume: Five-time champion, three-time MVP, 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA

Retirement Length: Four-plus years

Magic's return was a pivotal societal moment for what it signified regarding the stigma around HIV. His 1991 diagnosis ended one of the greatest careers in NBA history and is considered one of the seminal moments in sports history.

While Johnson was able to participate in the 1992 NBA All-Star Game and the Olympics, attitudes toward his participation varied. When Johnson attempted a comeback in 1992-93, he re-retired before ever playing a game because of the negative reaction from active players.

Attitudes had shifted enough by 1996 that Johnson made a second comeback attempt, albeit one that was not very successful on the court. He was noticeably heavier than at any point in his prime due to his new workout regimen, and he was a 36-year-old four seasons removed from competitive basketball. Magic flashed the occasional jaw-dropping dime, but he was a player whose best seasons were far behind him.

Verdict: Worth it societally, but not as much from a basketball perspective

Deion Sanders

Resume: Two-time Super Bowl champion, eight-time Pro Bowler, nine-time All-Pro

Retirement Length: Three years

When Deion Sanders retired after the 2000 season, he was considered perhaps the greatest cover corner in NFL history and the biggest cultural icon the NFL had during the 1990s. He had, in every sense of the word, accomplished everything anyone could've possibly wanted to on an NFL field.

His two-year return with the Baltimore Ravens did not do anything to enhance that legacy. Sanders, playing nickel cornerback and safety, understandably looked his age while getting only six starts in 25 games with the franchise. 

While Prime Time added five picks to his resume, neither he nor the Ravens accomplished what they set out to when he was coaxed out of retirement.

Verdict: Not worth it

Marshawn Lynch

Resume: Super Bowl champion, five-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro

Retirement Length: One season

As a human quote machine, the more Marshawn the better. Always. We will never complain about a Marshawn comeback because it means he'll spin more gold out of his mouth to make us all happy.

As a player, though, Lynch's post-retirement return to the Oakland Raiders was a bit of a bust. He clearly lacked explosion from a combination of his age, overall body toll and having taken a year off. Beast Mode lasted a total of 21 games in Oakland before stepping away again, only to return last season for a brief-yet-ineffective stint with the Seahawks.

At least we got the "take care of your chicken" quote, though.

Verdict: Not worth it

George Foreman

Resume: Former WBA, WBC, The Ring and lineal heavyweight champion

Retirement Length: 10 years

Whew. There may be no greater or more surprising comeback in boxing history than George Foreman. He stepped away from the ring at age 28, still well within his prime, after a unanimous decision loss to Jimmy Young.

Ten years later, he was back in the ring at age 38. Foreman wouldn't retire again until he was nearly 49 years old.

For the first few years of his comeback, Foreman mostly beat up on also-rans of the heavyweight division and racked up easy payday after easy payday. He fought an astounding 24 times between March 1987 and September 1990 before dropping a heavyweight championship bout to Evander Holyfield in 1991.

The comeback peaked with Foreman taking home the WBA, IBF, and lineal heavyweight titles from Michael Moorer in 1994. At age 45. He retained the lineal heavyweight championship until losing to Shannon Briggs via majority decision, retiring a final time 28 years after his first professional bout.

Verdict: Worth it

Floyd Mayweather

Resume: WBA (Super), WBC, The Ring and lineal welterweight champion

Retirement Length: Two years

Mayweather retired in 2015 with a perfect 49-0 record, securing his legacy as one of the greatest fighters in boxing history. His return was essentially a gimmick fight against Conor McGregor, who was making his boxing debut.

The entire goal of the fight was to make Mayweather and McGregor as much money as possible. The plan worked. Mayweather earned a reported $275 million for about a half-hour of work. Never mind that the fight was a bore, an overhyped mismatch that anyone could see coming from a mile away.

Mayweather got paid.

Verdict: Worth it