Rob Gronkowski Has Plate Removed From Arm, Could Miss Start Of Season

Rob Gronkowski is in jeopardy of missing the start of the season after having surgery to remove a plate in his previously broken left forearm .

The surgery was meant to ensure that a infection the New England Patriots tight end caught in January is completely removed.

Gronkowski’s latest procedure came at the end of a six-week cycle of antibiotic treatments, though doctors said they aren’t positive that all traces of the infection were gone. The procedure represents the fourth time Gronkowski had surgery on his forearm, which was originally broken November 18 in a win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Speaking to ESPN in March, Rob Gronkowski said he is feeling good about his recovery.

“I’m doing a lot better, definitely. Feeling a lot better,” Gronkowski said on the Mike & Mike in the Morning radio show. “My arm is feeling way better than it was during the playoffs and regular season when I broke it.

“Right now, just rehabbing, getting the muscle stronger around it. You want to get everything activated, re-activated, because it shuts down for a little bit when it’s healing. Just rehabbing, and when my trainers give me the ‘good to go’, hopefully in the next couple weeks, hopefully as soon as possible … I can get rolling again and get back in the weight room and get back on the field and do what I love doing — running around and catching some balls.”

Gronkowski was injured while blocking during an extra point against the Colts and missed five games before returning for the regular season finale and playoffs.

But Gronkowski didn’t stay health for long. As he was pulling in a pass during the first quarter of the Patriots divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans, Gronkowski landed hard on his forearm and suffered a break just above where the plate had been installed.

Rob Gronkowski’s recent bouts with injury and infection have threatened to derail a promising young career. The Patriots’ 2010 second-round pick out of Arizona has caught 187 passes for 2,663 yards and 38 touchdowns in 43 regular season games.