The youngest athletes elected to their respective Halls of Fame almost always represent tragic what-might-have-beens.
Think Gale Sayers entering the NFL Hall in 1977 at age 34 after a dazzling career cut short by injuries to both knees. Think Sandy Koufax earning enshrinement in Cooperstown at 36 because of an arthritic left elbow. Think the great Bobby Orr having the mandatory three-year waiting period waived so he could take his place in the Hockey Hall of Fame at the too-young age of 31.
Those are the three youngest inductees in their respective sports (the youngest NBA player, Easy Ed Macauley, was elected at 32 shortly after ending a 10-year career) and we'll never know what levels of greatness they might've achieved with added longevity.
Then there's Rob Gronkowski.
If Gronk follows through on his threats to retire, he'll be eligible to join the NFL Hall of Fame class of 2023. At that point, he'll be 34, just two weeks older than Sayers was when he entered Canton more than 40 years ago.
That would make Gronkowski the second-youngest enshrinee ever, but under wildly different circumstances.
For Gronk to retire healthy at 28, after one of his best seasons, would be borderline unprecedented. Barry Sanders is close, but he at least lasted until age 30 before being enshrined at 36. Same goes for Calvin Johnson, who also left the Lions at 30. 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis is often portrayed as one who escaped with his health, but he blamed chronic foot injuries for hastening his retirement at age 29.
Gronk leaving now would really have just one precedent. That would be the great Jim Brown, who announced his retirement in 1966 at age 30 after just nine seasons in order to become an actor (sound familiar?). His first role thereafter ended up being a classic -- The Dirty Dozen. Good luck matching that in the WWE.
There is, of course, the matter of whether Gronkowski would reach Canton on the first ballot. The secretive 48-member selection committee often makes qualified players wait -- Ty Law says hello -- and it could easily take its time with Gronk, who has only played eight injury-marred seasons.
In that time, however, he has established himself as the greatest tight end ever, with a record 77 touchdowns in only 102 games, as well as a pair of Super Bowl titles.
He's coming off his fourth first-team All-Pro season, and if this is really it, he went out with a bang by catching nine passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns in a Super Bowl loss to the Eagles.
Now Patriots fans hold their breath and hope that, five years from now, Gronk isn't eligible to make history.
