Since abruptly retiring, for the first time, after Super Bowl LIII, things have been a bit chaotic between the New England Patriots and tight end Rob Gronkowski. His tenure in Foxboro didn't end well, and fans still hold a grudge over how the situation was handled, especially since he unretired to join Tom Brady in Tampa Bay.
Making matters worse, the legendary duo won a Super Bowl for the Bucs just one year after the quarterback left New England, and Gronkowski didn't always have the greatest things to say about his time with the Patriots.
But now that he's officially retired for good and has moved on to become a full-time analyst for FOX Sports, the greatest tight end of all time is viewed in a different light by the fans, and he has been fully embraced once again.
Because of that, even just a little bit, team owner Robert Kraft announced that Gronkowski would be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame this season after fans voted him to be the next inductee. This came just months after he signed a one-day deal with the team to officially retire as a Patriot.
And now that the season is just a few weeks away, the Patriots announced when Gronkowski will be inducted, and they couldn't have chosen a better game to do it. In fact, it was probably intentional.
The Patriots will have a couple GOATs in the building for a Hall of Fame weekend
On Monday morning, the Patriots revealed that Gronkowski's enshrinement will take place on Saturday, November 7, the weekend that they play the Packers, which just so happens to be the same game Brady will be calling the game for his former team for the first time.
It will be a star-studded weekend with both potentially in attendance for the big-time matchup, and there's a good chance Brady will be present for Gronkowski's induction on Saturday.
It couldn't be a better time for the ceremony, and it's another reminder of just how good the Patriots had it for so long. The dynasty might feel like forever ago, but it really wasn't, and seeing some of the best players return is always a sight to see, and this weekend will be a no-miss time.
Considering the contributions Gronkowski made to the greatest dynasty, it is good to see that he will finally be forever immortalized in Patriots history, and the quarterback who helped make it all happen will (hopefully) be there to celebrate, too.
It feels like a long time coming, given how Gronkowski dipped out in 2019, but it's never been easy for fans to get behind one of the most talented and infectiously entertaining players the team has ever had.
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