Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski ‘Believed’ To Have Suffered A Punctured Lung Against Seahawks

Clearly, Rob Gronkowski’s absence makes the powerful New England offense weaker.

Given the conflicting injury reports concerning Rob Gronkowski, Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked during a conference call yesterday if he could provide some clarification on what might be ailing the tight end.

The Patriots will travel to the San Francisco Bay Area on Friday, one day earlier than the norm, which accelerates the timeline as it relates to Gronkowski’s availability to join the team.

The last one Tom Brady’s overthrow of him with 11 seconds left, while the tight end and Seahawk Kam Chancellor collided in the end zone on fourth down from the Seattle 1. He finished with three catches for 53 yards.

Having battled through hamstring injuries that have limited his playing time for the first quarter of the season, Gronkowski has become notorious both for suffering injuries, and then playing through them. Instead of gloating about the big hit on social media (as one Titans player foolishly did earloer this season), the Seahawks safety took to Twitter on Wednesday to send his best wishes to Gronkowski.

Fans, pundits and just about everyone else weighed in on the hit…everyone but the man who took the hit. “We had some that didn’t, but that’s their job and really I’m focused on our job which is to prepare to play better than we played (Sunday) night”. “I don’t think the officials can judge intent”. The pass fell incomplete and the Patriots lost 31-24. He played just 16 defensive snaps Sunday night. It’s one that Gronkowski can probably afford to miss, so he can get back in time for a divisional game with the New York Jets.