Rob Gronkowski’s Knee Could Force Patriots Tight End To Miss Week One

Rob Gronkowski has been cleared to play on his surgically repaired right knee by head coach Bill Belichick. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Patriots tight end will be seeing the field anytime soon.

Pro Football Talk is reporting that Gronkowski’s week one status is most certainly in doubt when the NFL regular season gets underway September 4:

“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Gronkowski’s anticipated Week One availability sits at 50-50, with perhaps a shade above the even-money proposition. It’s not a surprise; given the many surgeries and complications Gronkowski has endured in the past two years, there’s no reason to be reckless with his health.”

NFL Network reporter Albert Breer seconded that notion when he commented on the article via his Twitter account that the Patriots will err on the side of caution when it comes to their star tight end:

Goal has been Week 1 for months. Team will be cautious. RT @ProFootballTalk: Gronk far from sure thing to play Week 1 http://t.co/Nf70pcEATg

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 13, 2014

Rob Gronkowski’s injury history leaves many fans wondering whether the Patriots star will ever regain his former glory. Gronkowski made a huge splash when he was first drafted by the Patriots back in 2010. Between him and tight end Aaron Hernandez, the formidable Patriots offense looked as if it were poised to remain on top for many years to come in the league.

However, their reign was short lived. Aaron Hernandez’s career was obviously cut short after he was indicted on murder charges last year. Gronkowski meanwhile, endured a broken arm in 2012 that derailed his career before suffering the devastating knee injury last December that sidelined him throughout the playoffs.

Even though Rob was caught busting a move with Patriots owner Robert Kraft at a Jay Z concert earlier this summer — as reported by Inquisitr — Peter King from Sports Illustrated noted that on the practice field in training camp, Gronkowski is still running with a noticeable limp:

“Maybe I caught Gronk on a bad day,” King noted as he visited the New England Patriots joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the week, “but the player I saw running routes seemed far from a lock to play Week 1 against the Dolphins. He was favoring his right knee, and ran with a decent but not terrible limp.”

It’s these kinds of prognoses that have fans wondering whether Gronk can be counted on for the 2014 season at all. Though, as King points out, “75 percent Gronk is better than most tight ends, especially in the red zone.”

[Rob Gronkowski photo courtesy Business Insider]