Fans have their sign at Gillette Stadium, but Gronk is still missing. Photo by Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports
While one of the Arizona Wildcats recent stars — quarterback Nick Foles — is on the rise in Philadelphia, another is still waiting to make his 2013 debut.
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has been practicing but has yet to be activated for a game as he recovers from arm and back problems. The Boston Globe wrote that money could be a reason for the caution from the Gronkowski side.
Here is a story from USA Today, our Gannett partner, about the drama surrounding Gronkowski’s non-return …
By Simon Samano
USA TODAY Sports
When it comes to the mystery of when Rob Gronkowski will play this season for the New England Patriots, Tom Brady is understanding about the situation.
And as for reported escalated tension in the locker room over Gronkowski’s continued absence as he recovers from multiple surgeries on his fractured left arm, Brady says those feelings don’t exist.
“I don’t think there’s any resentment toward Rob or any other player on our team that is fighting through rehabilitation to get back on the field,” Brady said Monday in a radio interview with Westwood One Sports.
“Look, everyone loves having Rob out on the field, but we also understand that these medical decisions are out of the hands of the players and coaches. And if the doctors, when they clear them, they clear them, and when they don’t, they don’t. That goes for every player in the NFL. It’s not just our team, it’s every team.
“So we’ll be excited to get him back. When that is, I don’t have the answer, but I prepare each week regardless of who’s out there. You got to go with the guys that are healthy and the guys who are ready to play. And look, we’ve had plenty of guys contribute to get to 5-1 at this point. So I have a lot of confidence in the guys I’m out there with. I’ll be as excited as anybody when Rob gets back, and I know he’s working his butt off to get back out on the field as soon as he can.”
Gronkowski practiced all last week and was listed as questionable before ultimately sitting out Sunday’s dramatic 30-27 win over the New Orleans Saints.
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