ROB GRONKOWSKI HAS officially been cleared to play in Super Bowl LII.
The New England Patriots tight end is out of the concussion protocol and practised Thursday ahead of Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I knew it was going to happen,” Gronkowski said last night in his first media availability since suffering a head injury in the AFC championship game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on 21 January.
“I knew going through the protocol, whatever the standards were, whatever they had me do throughout the week. I would say they were more on the cautious side of getting me out there right away with the bye week in between,” Gronkowski added.
“That definitely helped out big time, but I just went step-by-step every day and everything went smooth.
I officially got the word today that I was cleared. It was super nice to hear from the doctors and I’m ready to roll.”
Gronkowski led the Patriots with 69 receptions for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season.
He had seven catches for 102 yards and a score in the playoffs until he left in the second quarter of New England’s 24-20 win over the Jaguars in the AFC title game after getting hit by Jaguars safety Barry Church.
Gronkowski missed last year’s Super Bowl victory over the Atlanta Falcons with a back injury, but said the Patriots knew all week he would be okay to play in this year’s title game.
“I’m feeling pretty good, definitely. It feels good to be out on the field and out there with my teammates,” Gronkowski said. “I’m super excited.”
Gronkowski said he will be “full speed” without any limitations against the Eagles.
When Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked about Gronkowski being cleared to play, he gave a typical Belichick response:
“Yeah, it’s great. Glad to have everyone back. It is what it is.”
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Surprised we’re even allowed to comment on this tbh
@William Motley: yep
A historically bottom to mid table club, with a small fanbase & very modest turnover, suddenly go full time and start splashing cash like a lotto winner. Sure nobody could have foreseen a problem there. Now if they had examples of this in the not to distant past, then I’m sure that might have raised a few red flags. Keep up the good work Fran!
Note to Fran Gavin – ‘everything is unforeseeable when your head is buried in the sand’
@John O Sullivan: Everything is unforeseeable when the FAI don’t give a flying fcuk about the LOI. How could Bray sustain the contracts they were dishing out? They don’t have a big enough fan Base. Questions need to be asked of whomever passes the licences to clubs. But it will never change until the FAI takes an interest in their / OUR national league. Their failure to promote our league and constantly try to make stupid changes ie the 10 team league adds fuel to the fire for the general public who won’t support our league.
@John O Sullivan: well said
@Niall Hearty: totally agree, FAI don’t give a shite
The sad thing is Gavin believes what he said.
Is he for real!? Seriously
@Keith Ryan: you can fool some of the ppl all of the time,but u can’t fool all the ppl ,all of the time.
So we will probably end up with a ludicrous outcome where Bray stay up despite lying about their ability to pay players and effectively cheating while 3 clubs who adhered to the rules and honoured the players contracts will be relegated. Surely the FAI will deduct Bray points? And what happens next year when Bray again apply for their license?
You can’t spell failure without FAI. Bray’s behaviour has been deplorable throughout this fiasco.
Bullshit,unforseeable,,,, problems have been there for yonks, now the FAI comments,that’s a major flaw
Unforeseeable my hole