TAMPA, Fla. — After two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that included a Super Bowl title, tight end Rob Gronkowski is retiring for a second time.

The 33-year-old Gronkowski spent 11 years total playing in the National Football League, the first nine with the New England Patriots.

After sitting out the 2019 season, he joined quarterback Tom Brady in time for the franchise's second Super Bowl title in 2020.

"I will now be going back into my retirement home, walking away from football again with my head held high knowing I gave it everything I had, good or bad, every time I stepped out on the field," he said.

The player nicknamed "Gronk" caught 92 touchdown passes and won four Super Bowls — the first three with New England.

He played in 28 regular season games with Tampa Bay, along with six more in the postseason.

He caught two touchdown passes in the team's Super Bowl LV victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

"Rob is a true professional who left it all on the field for us the past two seasons and helped establish a championship culture in our building," said Bucs General Manager Jason Licht. "He played a crucial part in our Super Bowl LV championship season in 2020 and battled through a number of injuries last year while on the way to one of the most productive receiving yardage seasons in his 11-year career."

Below is Gronkowski's full statement:

"In college, I was asked to write about a dream job opportunity that I wanted to pursue and where the location would be. Every time I had to write about my future, no matter what, I picked being a professional football player. For that assignment though, we had to pick the location. So I wrote that I wanted to play in Tampa for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for many reasons, the sunny weather being #1. I completely forgot about writing this report until 2 years ago when I had the opportunity to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And let me tell ya, the journey in Tampa over the last 2 years has blown away what I originally wrote about in college, big time.

"And for this, I want to thank the whole entire first class Buccaneers organization for an amazing ride, trusting me to come back to play and help build a championship team. I will now be going back into my retirement home, walking away from football again with my head held high knowing I gave it everything I had, good or bad, every time I stepped out on the field. The friendships and relationships I have made will last forever, and I appreciate every single one of my teammates and coaches for giving everything they had as well. From retirement, back to football and winning another championship and now back to chilling out, thank you to all. Buccaneers fans, the Krewe, without you guys, none of this is possible, all of ya brought it every game, thank you for all you do.

"Cheers to what's next, maybe sailing the seas * Arghhhhhh!!"