Gronkowski Honors Late Friend's Wish, Retires as Patriot

On November 13, 2025, former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski made a triumphant return to Gillette Stadium to officially retire as a member of the team. Gronkowski, considered one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, signed a ceremonial one-day contract to honor the wish of his late friend, Susan Hurley, a former Patriots cheerleader who had passed away earlier that year.

The ceremony was filled with lighthearted moments, as Patriots owner Robert Kraft kicked things off with a joke, asking Gronkowski if he would consider a two-day contract since the team was playing the New York Jets that Thursday night. Gronkowski quickly replied, "Let's do it!" before adding a hilarious question about the signing bonus, prompting laughter from the crowd.

The event also paid tribute to Hurley, with Gronkowski acknowledging that the day was "100% here for her, no doubt about that." He praised Hurley's passion and grace, saying, "I've never seen anyone have so much passion and so much grace for what they do and in raising money for other charities."

Gronkowski, who played for the Patriots from 2010 to 2018 and won three Super Bowls with the team, emphasized that he is a "Patriot for life" and that his career "100% needed to end here." He will make a proper return to the team on November 16, 2025, when he serves as the Keeper of the Light before the Patriots' game against the Jets, ringing the bell atop the lighthouse at the stadium and addressing the crowd at halftime.