When Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski went down lame on his ankle late in last week's AFC Championship against the Baltimore Ravens, it looked like the big guy had suffered a serious injury. Then, he returned to the game late and when it was reported Monday that he would definitely be playing, it appeared he may have avoided anything serious altogether.
Now, according to a report from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, it appears that Gronkowski has indeed suffered a high ankle sprain and while he is expected to play in Super Bowl XLVI against the Giants, it could limit his effectiveness:
Per a league source, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski indeed has a "classic" high ankle sprain. The source says that Gronkowski, who didn't practice last week, probably won't practice at all before the game.
But the source believes Gronkowski will play, even though it's currently believed that he'll need arthroscopic surgery on the ankle after the game.
Clearly, this is anything but good news. I was hoping that Gronkowski could make an appearance at practice, although I'm sure he will be doing all the necessary work behind the scenes. No one is going to challenge Gronk's toughness. I do believe he will make some big plays in the Super Bowl, but this certainly appears troublesome.