Field Yates and Sal Paolantonio analyze Rob Gronkowski's relationship with Tom Brady and the star TE's case to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. (1:53)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has yet to file his retirement papers, team owner Robert Kraft said in a pregame interview Thursday night on NFL Network.

Gronkowski has said he doesn't have plans to return, but Kraft said on the program, "We can pray and hope."

Gronkowski was not at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night for the Patriots' 35-14 win over the New York Giants, but was on Fox's pregame show in his new role as an analyst.

When asked about Kraft's comments, Gronkowski said about the possibility of coming back from retirement: "I would have to be feeling it, feeling it big-time to come back. It's always going to be open in my mind. ... I love the game of football. I love playing the game. I love being around the game. I even love watching the game of football now."

Since his retirement, Gronkowski has also worked as an advocate for players to be allowed to use CBD products for pain relief. In an appearance in August, he said of his decision to retire, "I want to be clear to my fans. I needed to recover. I was not in a good place. Football was bringing me down, and I didn't like it. I was losing that joy in life."

In that same appearance, he said he could physically play, but mentally wasn't in a place to do so.

He described himself as "very satisfied with where I am in life now."