Rob Gronkowski spoke to the media for the first time as a tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the big and somewhat surprising news that the former Patriots star was coming out of retirement.

Gronkowski, who was using the zoom name “Roberto” on the conference call, was his usual comedic and upbeat self on Wednesday afternoon as he explained why now was the right time to come back to playing football and what changed for him.

“I’ve always said from the beginning that I wouldn’t come back unless if I’m feeling it,” Gronkowski said. “If I’m feeling good, feeling healthy and feeling like I’m ready to go. Now this is the case, this is the time. It definitely wasn’t last year, my body 100 percent needed a rest. I played football for 15 years straight, college, high school, NFL and I was taking hits, surgery everything, my body 100 percent needed a rest. I didn’t have that fire underneath me but I knew I loved the game of football, I always have, that’s why I’ve always played it, that’s why I had a nine year career with the New England Patriots.

“I was feeling good, I had no fire last year even at the end of the season to come back but as the time rolled on the last couple weeks I started really picking it up. My body started feeling good, my desire to play the game of football was coming back and I knew that by the time the season would be rolling around again I would want to be back out there. That desire, that passion has lit into me and I just felt like the last couple of weeks it was the right time to hop on before it was too late.”

Injuries were at the forefront of why Gronkowski needed to stop playing for a year. But playing with Tom Brady was a big reason for his eventual return, and much like how many football fans eagerly waited for Brady’s decision as a free agent, Gronk was interested as well, telling Brady that he would join him if the situation was right.

Gronkowski had a receiving session with Brady just two months prior so he could stay in shape in case he did want to return, and that’s when the initial fire was lit again.

“We had a little conversation,” Gronkowski said. “There was no pressure on either side. We actually got together I would say probably like two months ago just to throw the ball. I hadn’t thrown a football or even touched a football since last year when we threw in LA out at UCLA when that was the news that we were throwing together. I knew in the back of my mind that I love the game of football and if it ever sparked me again I did want to be ready, it’s not like I wanted to not be ready. Throwing the football around working out still was definitely crucial so we actually got together about two months ago.”

Gronkowksi then explained how the conversation went down and what Brady’s reaction was at the end.

“We rarely talked about what his decision was going to be, or where I’m at,” Gronk said. “But we did talk about for one second, we talked real quick like ‘Hey, kind of getting that fire underneath me again.’ I told him, and I said I’m definitely interested in your decision that you make. I didn’t put any pressure on him I said but if there’s a right opportunity out there and you go somewhere and that opportunity is right, even if you go back to the Patriots and I feel like the opportunity is right, there’s a possible chance that I would definitely love to reconnect and that’s where the conversation started a little bit. He was all fired up and juiced up about it, so that was something pretty cool at the moment and in the end it happened over time, which was pretty neat.”

TE Rob Gronkowski – Photo by: Getty Images

It’s not every day that you get to join a new team but play with the same quarterback that you’ve been with for your entire career. Brady was a huge part coming down to Tampa Bay, but it wasn’t the whole reason. Gronkowksi was impressed with the Bucs’ offense as well.

“Tom, he was like the appetizer of the whole meal,” Gronkowski said. “He got me hooked when he went down to Tampa. Once Tom went down there I looked at their offense and saw how special their wide receivers are, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard at the tight end, I just saw that opportunity. I love playing with other players that have a lot of talent”

Gronkowski also said he’s open to any role in the offense.

“I am down to do anything,”Gronkowski said. the name Gronk means I’m down for anything. If they need me to block, I”m down to block, if they need me to spread out wide I’ll spread out wide. If it’s best for the team to be out there for 60 percent of the plays, I’m totally down to be out there for 60 percent of the plays, whatever’s best for the team, whatever helps out the team, I’m going to give it my all. Whether it’s 60 percent, 100 percent, I’m down for whatever.”