The Rob Gronkowski saga continues on. This story has become almost science fiction-like in its unbelievability. Now we are told that Gronk is on the "doubtful" side of "questionable" for this week. Posters on fantasy forums are, quite logically, asking if his career is in jeopardy.
So here we have a physical freak, someone who was going to re-write the record books for the TE position. Gronk was the most dominant white non-QB in the NFL. Despite his impressive physical stature, we are supposed to believe that nearly a year after suffering a broken forearm, while blocking for an extra point, and with no attention whatsoever paid to that injury by the media during that game, he is still not healthy enough to play football. Add in his mysterious, belated back injury, for which they inexplicably delayed surgery until it was late enough to ensure he'd miss the opening of the regular season, and we have a genuine, Peyton Hillis-sore throat type fiasco on our hands.
The Patriots opted not to put Gronk on the PUP list before the season, because then he'd have to miss the first 6 games. We were told repeatedly that week 3, at the latest, was the target date for his return. He has been practicing with the team for weeks. What is going on here? WHY isn't he playing? Frustrated fantasy owners, as well as those of us who follow the misdoings of the Caste System, are questioning this whole story. First we have a very unlikely injury, which was somehow not noted at the time by those covering the game. Then we have him re-breaking the arm when he was merely diving for a ball. After a series of unlikely infections, we are suddenly told Gronk has a back condition which is actually "worse" than the perpetually infected forearm. And yet the surgery on that back is delayed long enough for him to miss the season opener.
Either Gronk is the biggest wimp this side of Anthony Gonzalez, or he simply isn't being allowed to play. Meanwhile, Adrian Peterson isn't even going to miss ONE game, after the tragic death of his two year old son. Should we question Gronk's resolve at this point? Clearly, the Patriots thought he'd be back much sooner. He has faced no more setbacks that have been publicized, so why is his comeback being delayed? Why did the team think he could play, but he didn't?
While he has been healing at a Bob Sanders-rate of speed, Gronk has seen Jimmy Graham put up huge numbers, on a pace to shatter his own single season records for a TE. The Patriots offense has struggled mightily in his absence, so shouldn't that cause a real competitor to push to return even sooner than expected? Instead, he appears to be dragging his feet. Anyway you look at it, Gronk doesn't come out of this looking good, unless he immediately starts dominating again.
Am I the only one who see something fishy in this story?
