Will Brady and Gronk ever get to play together again?

Three elements are standing in the way of the NFL season with unprecedented interest taking the field in 2020 as we want to see it.

That interest, already at fever pitch with Tom Brady moving from New England to Tampa Bay, has spiked even more with Rob Gronkowski coming out of retirement and being traded to the Bucs.

For that very reason alone, even if the NFL doesn’t allow fans in the stadiums, pro football almost has to be played in some shape or form. But that still doesn’t guarantee we’ll see the old TB12 and Gronk together.

Brady will be 43 and while claiming to be in prime time shape, he is nevertheless 43. The Bucs have almost all the pieces to make a Super Bowl run, except an unproven offensive line that will have to protect the immobile Brady, whose safety every game is paramount.

Gronk, of course, didn’t play in 2019 after he retired following the Pats’ last Super Bowl triumph. He also claims to feel better than ever; however, he has slimmed down and at 31 needs to bulk up into football shape to avoid the injuries that dogged his career.

So the conditions of the “old” quarterback and veteran tight end are critical to both of them being on the field at the same time when the season opens. Even if the NFL doesn’t allow fans in the stands, at first, every Tampa Bay game will be must-see TV, as long as there is a game.

Those are three pretty big ifs right now, and Gronk returning to football playing weight and staying on the field are the main reasons the Patriots traded his rights for a fourth-round draft pick. As a blocker and receiver who ran down the seam, Gronk took so many big hits that he endured several major surgeries during his career.

Most players who have come out of retirement in their 30s could not get back to their level of play after being away from the constant training it takes to transition from one season to another.

The sports world will love seeing that championship connection working its magic again, but right now just being teammates doesn’t guarantee they will be able to replicate it in 2020.

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