Retired football star Rob Gronkowski may once again get hit for a living ― but for pretend ― after he reportedly signed a deal with WWE.
The former New England Patriots tight end “officially” entered a contract with the pro wrestling organization and will make his debut on Fox’s “SmackDown” March 20, The Wrap reported Tuesday, citing an insider. He also will appear on WrestleMania 36 on April 5, leading to a future match, according to the outlet.
Earlier reports suggested that Gronkowski was deep in talks with WWE. The flamboyant footballer participated in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal at WrestleMania 33 in 2017, ESPN noted. He jumped a barricade to help another wrestler triumph.
Gronkowski, who won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, was beloved for his football-spiking celebrations and party-hearty attitude. He retired in 2019, citing injuries.
Gronkowski had previously said that he was not interested in pro wrestling “full-time,” but was up for “one crazy match” in “maybe five years,” ESPN wrote.
Gronk also made headlines for a post-football spike when he smashed a Lego bust of host Steve Harvey on a Fox New Year’s Eve show.
Twitter welcomed Gronkowski to the unreal world of WWE.