He’s a Brady’s man.

Rob Gronkowski is leaning toward returning to the Patriots in 2018 instead of an early retirement — despite physical and mental fatigue and lingering frustrations between him and head coach Bill Belichick — provided Tom Brady is still around, which seems a near certainty.

ESPN reported the details, citing unnamed sources who stated the New England tight end — though yet to make a final decision — is “pretty certain” he’ll come back as long as the quarterback doesn’t leave. The clashing egos that ESPN first reported exist in New England have not had any blowups yet, and it appears the nucleus of the dynasty — Belichick and Brady — will be back for more.

However, according to the report, Gronkowski has grown weary of dealing with injuries and the high-strung culture fostered by Belichick and the Patriots organization. Likewise, Belichick has expressed frustration to those close to him about whether Gronkowski is still “all-in” for the team — and the longer Gronk doesn’t announce he’s returning, the greater the chance Belichick trades him anyway, Boston Sports Journal reported last week. The 28-year-old Gronkowski has been a force both and off the field, known nearly just as much for his touchdown spikes as his partying.

Last season, Gronkowski had 69 catches for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games. He has dealt with a variety of injuries throughout his eight-year career, missing two games last season with minor ailments. After the Super Bowl loss, he would not commit to returning this season.

While his rift with Belichick remains a concern, ESPN reports that people close to Gronkowski and Belichick expect the tension to ease if the tight end shows he is fully committed to a return.

–With Reuters