One year after retiring from a Hall of Fame career in the NFL, former Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski is ready to return to the sports entertainment industry.

According to a report from TheWrap, Gronkowski has signed a contract with WWE, and he's slated to debut on next week's edition of SmackDown Live. Gronkowski and WWE have yet to comment.

TheWrap also reported that Gronkowski "is due" for an appearance at WrestleMania 36 next month, although it doesnt' sound like he'll actually wrestle on the Grandest Stage of Them All in Tampa Bay.

On Tuesday night, Ryan Satin initially reported on WWE Backstage that Gronk was closing in on a deal with the professional wrestling company.

Gronkowski has been linked to the WWE for quite some time. He is close friends with superstar Mojo Rawley, and both Triple H and Stephanie McMahon had welcomed the idea of having Gronk join the WWE.

Last year, Gronk admitted that wrestling full-time was unlikely, but he was strongly interested in doing one match. Rawley expressed hope that Gronk would wrestle at this year's SummerSlam pay-per-view, which takes place in Boston.

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The former New England Patriots star made an appearance at WrestleMania 33, confronting Jinder Mahal after the latter slapped Gronkowski's drink out of his hand. That prompted Gronk to enter the ring and attack Mahal, while helping Rawley emerge victorious in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

After a year of speculation, Gronkowski retired from football after the Patriots won Super Bowl LII against the Los Angeles Rams. Gronkowski's production slowed immensely due to several injuries, but he still went out on top with a third championship ring. Now, it's time for the next phase of his athletic career.

This Is Going To Be Incredible

It's not very often where an all-time NFL heads to the WWE soon after their playing career. But Gronkowski is ready to make an impact in the squared circle, and his arrival promises to be a complete game-changer for WWE. With a colourful personality and a giant frame, Gronk truly has the makings to be a marquee money draw for WWE.

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