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One of the first things Tom Brady did as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer was essentially draw Rob Gronkowski out of retirement and away from the New England Patriots, with whom they served as teammates for nearly a decade. Now, with their first season in Tampa Bay nearly in the books, Brady has unleashed high praise for his longtime tight end, saying Friday that "everybody wishes in their next life they come back as Rob."

Brady's remarks, as documented by ProFootballTalk's Michael David Smith, came within the quarterback's suggestion that Gronkowski is in the best physical and mental shape he's been in for a while. The three-time Super Bowl-winning tight end, of course, cited the game's physical toll -- as well as emotional wear and tear from nine seasons in New England -- when he retired in 2019. This year, with the Buccaneers, Gronkowski played all 16 games for the first time since 2011, finishing with 45 catches for 623 yards and seven touchdowns.

"He's super excited because he feels so good," Brady said. "He's played 20 games this year. I think that's the most he's ever played in his career. He's one of the most unique people. Just being around him, he's so positive. I think everybody wishes in their next life they come back as Rob just because he's got such a great personality about him, just his way of being positive.

"He's a really high achiever," Brady continued. "He's very competitive and I see the competitive nature, the determination. When you're down and out, you want him with you. I think that speaks to him as a teammate, as a person and I love playing with him. I've known him for a long time and I'm just so proud of all of his accomplishments. He's an amazing guy. I know for both of us, we rely on each other a lot for different things. I'll be looking for him this Sunday, so that's the most important thing."

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