Rob Gronkowski Must Defend 24/7 Title 'At All Times' After NFL Return, WWE Says

Rob Gronkowski might be on his way back to the NFL, but WWE is expecting him to remain a fighting champion.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Gronkowski is coming out of retirement to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who acquired him from the New England Patriots on Tuesday.

The one question on every pro wrestling fan's mind was what that meant for Gronk as the holder of the 24/7 Championship.

WWE provided an answer on Twitter: "Congratulations to Rob Gronkowski, the current WWE 24/7 Champion, on his return to football. Per the rules of the 24/7 title, Gronk must defend his championship at all times in any location. He could be celebrating a touchdown pass from @TomBrady...anytime, anywhere."

Gronkowski beat his friend, Mojo Rawley, for the belt at WrestleMania 36 while hosting the two-night event on April 5 and 6.

WWE likely had more in store for the four-time All-Pro. His friendship with Rawley made it easy to piece together a storyline for a major show such as SummerSlam. The Wrap's Tony Maglio reported in March the promotion was hopeful of having Gronk wrestle in an official match down the line.

That probably won't be happening for the foreseeable future now.

The fact WWE isn't stripping Gronkowski of the championship implies his work isn't done just yet, though. It would take much to have him appear on SmackDown and quickly drop the title to bring his run to an official end.

Just to be safe, the 30-year-old should remain on the lookout for a WWE referee, who could signal the start of an impromptu title defense.