Rob Gronkowski thinks Tom Brady will make a comeback, but with this caveat

We haven't seen the last of Tom Brady in the NFL ... according to one of his favorite targets. Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski believes Brady will return to the NFL, but that comes with a caveat.

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Gronkowski expects Brady to take a few years off before he returns to action, telling USA Today Brady will be back "in a couple of years." No, really.

Gronkowski believes Brady could excel in the NFL at age 50. If anyone was going to do that, Brady does feel the most likely. He's held off Father Time this long.

Brady, 44, retired in February to spend more time with his family. Since then, Brady has already hinted he could return to the NFL.

Would Tom Brady wait to come out of retirement?

Brady's age already made his accomplishments more impressive. The fact that he walked away after leading the NFL with 5,316 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes proves he can still produce at a high level. If Brady were to return for the 2022 NFL season, no one would doubt his ability.

But if he waits a few seasons, we're entering the George Blanda zone. The Chicago Bears quarterback remained in the NFL until he was 48. He didn't start a single game during his final seven seasons in the NFL, so it's impossible to compare Blanda to Brady. Blanda did attempt three passes during his final season, though, making him the record holder for oldest quarterback to attempt a pass in a game.

Could Brady return to try and break that record? It would be foolish to doubt him. Brady's entire career was spent proving people wrong.

At the same time, it would be tough for Brady to lace up his spikes again after taking a few seasons off. Sure, it worked for Gronkowski, but he was 31 when he returned to the league.