As the New England Patriots prepare for Super Bowl LII in Minnesota a week from this upcoming Sunday, the team is still not 100 percent sure whether star tight end Rob Gronkowski will be on the field.
A few days after he suffered a concussion during New England’s AFC Championship Game win over Jacksonville, Gronkowski remains in the NFL-mandated concussion protocol.
This information comes directly from the Patriots, who noted that the tight end would not have been on the field if the team practiced on Wednesday.
#Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (concussion) would not have practiced if the team had worked out today, per their practice report.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 24, 2018
Reading ever so carefully between the lines, this is a clear indication that Gronkowski is still in the protocol.
For the Patriots, it’s probably not that huge of a concern. If the Super Bowl were held one week after the championship games like it was in previous eras, this would be an issue.
But with an extra week of practice to pass through the protocol, Gronkowski should be more than ready to go against Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. It is, however, still something to keep an eye on.