Who are Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady pulling for when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the New England Patriots this Sunday in Week 10? That’s the question everyone’s been asking. And when FOX’s Curt Menefee finally brought it up, Gronk didn’t hesitate; he’s backing the Patriots.

But this time, he’s got a reason that’ll make every New England fan smile. The former Patriots’ tight end is signing a one-day contract with the New England team to retire as a Patriot for life.

“I am signing a one-day contract with the Patriots this week, coming up to retire as a Patriot for life, just like all of you out here. So, I’m going with the Patriots.” Gronk said, while also taking a jab at his old mate. “But I know Tom is still bitter,” he added, “The Patriots let him go for his final three seasons in the NFL. So, he’s secretly rooting for the Buccaneers.

The playful back-and-forth between Brady and Gronk is no surprise. After all, the two spent over a decade side by side with the Patriots and later the Bucs. But this isn’t the first time Gronk’s made it clear where his heart lies. He’s always wanted to retire a Patriot for life. Back in August, he teased about signing a one-day contract with New England shortly after the Pats unveiled Brady’s statue outside of Gillette Stadium.

“Come back for a day, a weekend, whatever it is. So we’ll make it happen, and it’ll be a really, really cool moment,” the Patriots’ legend told the reporters in August. “It’s going to happen. We just don’t know when.”

That said, Rob Gronkowski is now expected to retire as a Patriot this week. And let’s just say, it’s something that Robert Kraft had already seen coming.

Robert Kraft gave a thumbs-up on Rob Gronkowski’s one-day contract

Rob Gronkowski spent nine unforgettable years in New England, racking up 521 catches for 7,861 yards and 80 touchdowns in 115 games, plus three Super Bowl rings to steal his legacy. And back in August, he was back in Boston to celebrate something far from the gridiron: the grand opening of the “Gronk Playground” on the Esplanade.

However, that celebration evolved into something even more significant. Susan Hurley, the CharityTeams founder who helped bring the playground to life, ended up sparking a different kind of conversation, one about Gronk’s future with the Patriots.

During the event, Hurley reportedly approached Patriots chairman Robert Kraft with an idea close to every New England fan’s heart: a one-day contract so Gronk could officially retire as a Patriot. And as it turns out, Kraft was all in.

“I like that a lot,” Gronk said at that time. “The reason why we’re really going to do that is because of Susan Hurley. She wants to see that happen. She’s been dreaming about that happening for a while. RKK gave her a thumbs up. So we’re gonna make it happen in the future, and it’s gonna be a special moment.”

Well, fast forward to now, and here we are. Rob Gronkowski is now all set to sign a one-day deal with the Patriots to retire as a Patriot for life.