brady told him after the rams SB that he was gone after 2020. gronk was beat the fuck up. i can see this. gronk retires, as he did, knowing brady was gone after 2020. players talk. theyre friends.
brady probably said "listen 2020 is going to be my last year here regardless. take a year off, save your body frfom a pointless yhear of a one and done playoff run (which is what happened) and join me wherever i end up."
i think this was THE plan all along. gronks always said he wouldnt play for any other QB than brady (why he nixed the trade to detroit). brady goes somewhere warm with a slick offense, yeah. makes sense.