Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com published an article on Thursday night claiming that his sources have expressed serious concern regarding the stability of Rob Gronkowski's surgically repaired right forearm. New England Patriots team doctor Tom Gill first performed the surgery, and apparently, he may have never needed it in the first place.
It Is What It Is " Source: ‘Serious concern’ over Tom Gill surgery on Rob Gronkowski
WEEI.com has learned from multiple sources with direct knowledge of the surgery that the arm, injured initially on Nov. 18, 2012 against the Colts, would have healed properly on its own with no surgery necessary. But the team and Gronkowski, looking to hasten his return to the field, decided upon surgery to use an implement in hopes he would be ready for the playoffs.One source with direct knowledge of the initial forearm surgery told WEEI.com Thursday night that there is "serious concern" about the integrity of the bone where the implement was placed and the surrounding nerves. The source indicated that if the bone had healed on its own without an implement, there would have been no infection. However, there now are concerns that an abscess developed, causing infection and seriously weakening the bone. This prompted three more surgeries in the offseason on the forearm, separate from the procedure on his back.
This isn't the type of news I wanted to read about before I went to bed, and I'm sure you feel the same way if you're reading it now...or in the morning. Actually, there is never a good time to read about this news for Patriots fans.
We have heard rumblings in the past month that it was the forearm holding Gronk from returning and not his surgically repaired back. This report goes along those same lines, so it creates more doubt in my eyes that Rob Gronkowski will be able to stay healthy. We saw what happened last season when a relatively "normal" fall caused him to re-break his forearm.
The reports back then said that the two breaks in the forearm were completely unrelated and pure coincidence. I bought that, but now I'm starting to wonder if the concerns about his forearm being unstable are accurate.
No matter the case, it's important that Gronk returns to the field soon. We'll never know if his forearm is stable or not unless he plays. The excitement -- and the anxiety -- of Rob Gronkowski's return could come as soon as Sunday afternoon against the New Orleans Saints.