Rob Gronkowski has officially retired as a member of the Patriots, fulfilling the request from his late friend Susan Hurley — a New England philanthropist who he partnered with to create Gronk Playground in Boston.
In August, Gronkowski and Hurley achieved a milestone when they opened up the fully ADA-accessible park, designed for children of all ages and abilities, at the Esplanade along the Charles River.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Hurley — a North Reading native who founded CharityTeams, a small business that helps nonprofits raise funds through athletic events — made an appeal to her friend and Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
“This generous gift of $1.8 million shows [Gronk’s] deep connection to New England and proves that his heart will be forever in Foxboro. And I’m going out on a limb here. Now, can we just make it official and sign him for a day so he can retire as a Patriot,” Hurley requested at the Aug. 19 event.
Nearly three months later, on a cold, autumn day in Foxboro, Kraft fulfilled Hurley’s request. The beloved, affectionate fan favorite signed a one-day ceremonial contract at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, officially riding into the sunset as a Patriot.
Kraft, introducing the man of the hour, said he intended to offer Gronkowski the opportunity to retire as a Patriot next year, when the four-time Super Bowl champion is eligible for the Patriots Hall of Fame.
But tragedy struck earlier this month, when Hurley died at the age of 62 on Nov. 1 from ovarian cancer.
“We decided to call an audible because of Susan’s request and fulfill it right away,” Kraft told reporters. “So, thank you, Susan.”
Hurley was largely on Gronk’s mind during the ceremony. A minute into his remarks, after signing the contract, Gronkowski recounted how he forged his bond and partnership with the area philanthropist, who was a cheerleader for the Patriots in her 20s.
The idea for the playground, Gronkowski said, sparked after he played his final game with the Patriots, defeating the Rams in Super Bowl LIII in February 2019, and initially retired. He wanted to give back to the city of Boston and contacted Hurley right away.
Gronkowski donated $1.8 million for the project through his Gronk Nation Youth Foundation, a nonprofit organization he founded while with the Patriots, focusing on keeping kids healthy and active.
“It’s a full circle moment with it opening up,” Gronkowski said of the playground. “It happened at the right time for the right reason. … Susan, while we were there, brought up, like Mr. Kraft said, ‘I would love to see you retire as a Patriot.’”
“We are 100% here today for her, no doubt about that,” he added.
Hurley had been to Massachusetts General Hospital’s Ellison building seven times since May as she battled stage 4 cancer, looking down at the playground, wondering if she’d make it to see the park officially open.
“And here I am,” Hurley said in August.
In his opening remarks on Wednesday, Kraft said of Hurley, “Although she won’t be with us physically, she’ll be with us spiritually, and we believe she’s in our presence now.”
Gronkowski won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and legendary quarterback Tom Brady before the dynamic duo won their fourth together in Tampa Bay. Gronk posted 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 80 touchdowns in New England.
“I’m a Patriot for life,” Gronkowski said on Wednesday. “The whole Gronk persona was all because of you guys, the fans. Everything established about my football career was all about being here.”
