Following the signing of veteran wide receiver Antonio Brown to a one-year, $15 million deal, New England Patriots fans are now urging retired tight end Rob Gronkowski to come out of retirement and join the team’s run for a seventh Super Bowl trophy. Among those who are urging Gronkowski to return is actor and avid Patriots fan Brian White, who tweeted “Patriots now have Antonio Brown, Edelman, and Josh Gordan with Tom Brady. Gronk... Come on back, bro!!!! Let's GO #Patriots!!!!!!!!!!”

Bleacher Report Gridiron also posted a photo of Gronkowski and accompanied it with a caption “You got one more season in you, @RobGronkowski?” A Patriots' fan nicknamed @FitzyGFY on Twitter called on Gronkowski noting that if he wants to come back, “now would be a great time.

Seriously, it will fly right under the radar. Nobody will notice” amid the attention to the Brown signing.

The social media world is also flooded with other memes and graphics, calling on Gronkowski to return and join the formidable squad that has been recently installed as the Super Bowl favorites. Gronkowski announced his surprise retirement in the offseason but hinted several times that he could return to the NFL if his desire to play football comes back. There were persistent reports that Gronkowski might be enticed to return to help the Patriots’ playoff push.

Edelman welcomes Brown’s signing

Patriots veteran wide receiver Julian Edelman warmly welcomed Brown’s signing on his Twitter account where he shared the fellow wide receiver’s post and accompanied it with a comment of three 100 percent symbols and the hashtag #boomin, referring to Brown’s favorite phrase “Business is boomin’.”

Brown’s signing will make the Patriots wide receiving corps even more formidable as he will join Edelman, Josh Gordon, Phillip Dorsett, and undrafted rookies Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski in the depth chart.

The Patriots will add another weapon on offense with the return of rookie first-round pick N'Keal Harry at some point in the regular season.

Gruden disappointed over Brown’s release

Brown became available following his release by the Oakland Raiders after a tumultuous several months. Brown reported to training camp with frostbite on his feet and had issues with his old helmet.

After he was fined by the Raiders, he verbally clashed with general manager Mike Mayock. The Raiders then fined him $215,073.53 for conduct detrimental to the team that voided the $29.125 million guaranteed money in his deal.

Without guarantees, Brown asked the Raiders to release him, which was immediately granted by the team.

After Brown’s release, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden was disappointed over the development but said he’s happy to have met the mercurial wide receiver. “We tried every way possible to make it work,” Gruden told CBS Sports.
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