Gronk Out for Extended Period

By Bob

Credit: CBSSports.com

Rob Gronkowski has without a doubt been a superstar for the New England Patriots since his debut in 2011. Unfortunately, as any knowledgeable football fan knows, he has a knack for piling up injuries which cause him to miss large portions of the season. He started off the 2016 year by missing the first two games, and now it looks like he won’t play another snap of football until next year. It was announced from Patriots camp that Gronk will be out indefinitely due to having back surgery tomorrow. This is not the first time Gronk is having his back operated on either, this man has two surgeries already under his belt and he is only 27. Gronk may be a specimen while on the field but it should be very concerning how often he gets injured. Other injuries he has dealt with over his career include his ankle, ACL, and arm..I would say all of those are pretty key when it comes to playing professional football. There is no doubt Gronk will come back from his third back surgery A-Okay, but the long-term future of Gronk’s career has to be in question. How long is this man going to be able to play with having the bones of brittle old man? If the injuries keep piling up at this rate, I would not be surprised if the young party animal calls it quits after winning another ring or two. If not retire, there is always the possibility Belichick letting him walk once he is an UFA in 2020 when he is 31 years old. Father time is never a player’s friends, but he will always catch up to the best of them.
 
The New England Patriots knew this was bound to happen seeing how it basically does every season which is why they invested in a back-up plan: Martellus Bennett. Obtaining Bennett for Chicago back in the summer is about to pay huge dividends now that playoffs are fast approaching. This big guy is not only a playmaker himself, but he has such a huge persona in the locker room that he will be able to fill the void of Gronk pretty well. Even though the Patriots path to the Super Bowl just got a lot more complicated, with Tom Brady leading the way anything is possible.