Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels issued the following statement on the retirement of Rob Gronkowski.
"I consider myself lucky to have had the pleasure of coaching Rob Gronkowski. From the day I met him, he has been authentic, real and genuine. His love for life made every day more fun for the people around him. He was the ideal football player - tough, smart, competitive and always played his best under pressure.
"You always felt you had a chance to win with Rob on the field; he had that kind of impact on the game. He is one of the very few players who could control the game offensively in the pass and run game, and he thoroughly enjoyed being great in both areas. His positive attitude, incredible energy and pure selflessness made him an absolute joy and pleasure to coach.
"We will miss his contributions to our offense on the field, but maybe more importantly, he will be impossible to replace as a teammate. I have immense respect for the sacrifices he made to help us accomplish our goals as a team, and I am happy that he can walk away on his terms today. There will never be another Gronk."
- Josh McDaniels
