Monday Patriots Notes: Matt Light, Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski

With team OTA's starting on Monday just outside Gillette Stadium, the team's most recent retired Patriots player has been enjoying his time away from the field, but is still entertaining the media limelight.

Former New England Patriots left tackle Matt Light traveled up to Bristol, Connecticut to make the rounds at the ESPN studios for a plethora of interviews. Light retired from the Patriots after 11 seasons in the NFL where he won three Super Bowls with the team.

When he made his announcement in front of his teammates and coaches, Light revealed that he had been battling Krohn's Disease for the entirety of his career. On Monday, Light revealed more information regarding his health during his interview with ESPN's Colin Cowherd on his radio show "The Herd":

"You know, I would put it at 'doable.' I get up in the morning, I generally feel fairly well. I get my vitamins, go through my little routine, and I would say from a day-to-day basis I'm doing really well," said Light, who previously revealed he played his entire career with Crohn's disease.

"That said, I've been through 14 surgeries. I've spent over a month in a hospital straight. I've been through the worst of the worst, and I'm sure I could probably get into greater [detail]. But at the end of the day, I'm thankful for my time in. I knew the risks and the things associated with the game of football, and I've gotten to a point in my life where I was like, 'You know what, be happy, don't try to bite off more than you can chew, and look forward to the next great challenge.'"

WELKER EXCITED TO GET ON THE FIELD FOR OTA'S

During the longstanding contract disagreement between Wes Welker and the Patriots (which is still present), Welker made it known in an interview with WEEI that unless he was awarded with a long-term deal, he would not be present during team OTA's. Oh how things can changed.

Last week, Welker gave into the Patriots and signed his $9.5 million franchise tender, which will have him under contract for only the 2012 season. While there is still hope of a long-term deal, he says he's just excited to get back on the field and work with the new talent around him:

"We got some great receivers coming in," Welker said. "It's going to be a lot of fun, a competitive atmosphere. (There are) a lot of guys that have been here and can really help us win ball games. I'm really looking forward to working with everybody."

"I'm looking forward to moving forward and getting ready for the 2012 season," Welker said Saturday.

COLLEGE COACH HAS HIGH PRAISE FOR GRONKOWSKI

When Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski entered the league in 2010, it seems that only few could have predicted the player he has become today. One of people was his college head coach at the University of Arizona, Mike Stoops.

In an interview with ESPN, Stoops dished a few quotes on his former tight end, calling him "just a monster" on the field. Stoops, who is now the defensive coordinator for his brother Bob at Oklahoma, also praised Gronk as a tough competitor and a franchise player.

"There's nobody that competed on the football field like he did and ... his football talent is immense. That's really what I saw coaching him. Just his ability to block at the point of attack and certainly separate from linebackers and safeties," he said.

"I said if I was starting a team, this would be the guy I would take first," Stoops stated. "I know there was skepticism built around his injury, but if he was going to stay healthy, there was no question in my mind he would be an All-Pro caliber player because of his dimensions and his attitude, his physical capabilities, and his mental capabilities. What he can do on the football field is pretty extreme for a guy that size."