FOXBORO -- Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski may be contemplating a return to the NFL. Again.

The future Hall-of-Famer hasn't played since the end of the 2021 season, when he was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But Gronkowski, who will turn 36 in May, has been working out and "wants to physically be ready for another NFL season," according to Cecil Lammey of Denver Sports.

While Patriots fans would likely love to see Gronkowski return to New England and catch some passes from Drake Maye in 2025, he may already have a team in mind, according to Lammey: The Denver Broncos.

"Sources also tell me that Gronkowski would love to play for head coach Sean Payton, whom he worked with at Fox during the 2022 season, and likes what he's seen from quarterback Bo Nix," Lammey reported Tuesday.

Gronkowski hasn't played football in three years, so a return is pretty unlikely. But this wouldn't be the first time he returned to the NFL after a break.

Rob Gronkowski's NFL career

A five-time Pro Bowler, four-time First Team All-Pro, and four-time Super Bowl champion, Gronkowski was one of the best tight ends to ever play in the NFL. He was dominant for nine seasons in New England, catching 521 passes while finding the end zone 79 times in a Patriots uniform. 

But Gronkowski dealt with a number of injuries throughout his career, and decided to retire (for the first time) after the 2018 season. After a year away, he decided to make a comeback and was traded to Tampa Bay, where he reunited with Tom Brady and helped lead the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title.

Gronkowski played two seasons in Tampa and retired again after the 2021 season. He walked away with 621 receptions and 92 touchdowns for his career, with another 98 receptions and 15 touchdowns over 22 playoff games.

Gronkowski made the move to the media and has been an analyst for Fox the last few years, but is apparently a little bored with television. Lammey's report is being met with some doubt, but you never really know what's going on in the mind of Rob Gronkowski.

And if he does return and ends up playing for the Broncos, it would add an interesting wrinkle in the AFC West with Gronkowski going against Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs, along with the Las Vegas Raiders and partial owner Tom Brady.