New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski told reporters on Monday that he'll be playing against the Miami Dolphins for the team's opener on September 7. He's been recovering from ACL surgery since January 9.
Gronkowski tore his ACL and MCL on December 8, 2013 against the Cleveland Browns, which effectively ended his season with team. Gronk suffered a serious forearm and back injuries over the past two seasons that also contributed to shortened seasons with the Patriots. Earlier this month, NBC Sports said he was "far from a sure think to play Week One," but Gronk stated otherwise on Monday.
"I'm ready to go," he said, in this ESPN article. "I'll be playing. My mentality now is I'm ready to go, I'm ready to be out there, I'm ready to hit, I'm ready to start going. I feel mentally and physically ready, for sure. No doubt about it."
The star tight end underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL and MCL on January 9 and was given a projected 6 ½-month recovery process before he could return to action. Many were unsure if he would be available for Week One, but he silenced the speculation on Monday. He avoided to Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list prior to the start of training camp, which further indicated his imminent return early in the regular season.
Gronkowski's last full NFL season was in 2011 when he caught 90 passes for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns, after which he signed a six-year $53 million contract. But the following season Gronk broke his forearm and missed a lot of time, and prior to the 2013 season the Patriots' other tight end, Aaron Hernandez, was arrested and charged with murder and released by the team. The tight end position looked like it was solidified for the years to come, but Gronk's injury history and Hernandez's crime activity put a dent in the team's plans.
New England just traded offensive guard Logan Mankins to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for tight end Tim Wright and a fourth round draft pick. Wright was likely acquired as an insurance plan for the oft-injured Gronkowski, but the 25-year-old looks like he'll be in action this coming Sunday.
You can read more about Gronkowski's medical clearing in this NFL.com article.
