Gronkowski in High Spirits after Multiple Setbacks
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is scheduled to have his fourth surgery in seven months on his injured left forearm. I know what you’re thinking: more surgery can’t be good for Gronk, but that actually is not the case.
Back in February, Gronkowski was scheduled to make an NFL Network appearance but abruptly pulled out. It came out later that he was battling a staph infection. He had two surgeries on that forearm and developed the infection after the second surgery. Doctors discovered it and operated for a third time and put him on a six-week course of antibiotics. Profootballtalk.com posted Thursday that the infection subsided and Gronkowski is scheduled for a procedure next week to replace the metal plate in his forearm.
With the new plate in his arm, he can finally rehab the injury and get back to playing football.
But his forearm is not the only problem. Gronkowski underwent an MRI on his back to check an issue from last season. The issue is with one of the discs in his back, but sources say it is not a serious injury. If he were to get surgery, it would happen while he is rehabbing his broken arm and would not prolong his recovery.
Although he has had multiple setbacks, Gronk has been in high spirits since his season ended. On May 13, he and former Patriot Matt Light were celebrity bartenders at Strega Waterfront’s Shaking It Up charity event, and 100 percent of the proceeds that night were donated to the One Fund, which helps victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.
He also joined up with current Patriots running back Stevan Ridley to visit victims of the Marathon attacks in the hospital a week after the tragedy occurred.
In pictures from these appearances, Gronkowski is not wearing any protective sleeve or bandages. That is a good sign for Gronk and for the Patriots offense this upcoming season.
