New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is sitting out of today’s game against the New Orleans Saints. Apparently some of his teammates don’t understand why he is not playing.
“There’s curiosity and resentment, and he’s creating it by going out and kicking ass during the week and then he doesn’t show up on game day and help the team win,” one source said, via ESPN.
“If he’s not playing in games, he damn sure should not be doing what he is in practice,” said the same source said. “Whatever is holding him back now isn’t going to be healed in two weeks, because there’s nothing wrong with the arm.”
It could be because his doctor told him he wasn’t comfortable with him playing just yet. The issue for his teammates is seeing what he does in practice makes him look healthy and like the arm is fine. They don’t understand how that contact is ok, but game contact, which isn’t much different, isn’t alright.
Status quo on Gronk: Almost certainly not playing today vs. the Saints. Ridley and Amendola, as we said Friday, are fully expected to play.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 13, 2013
Gronk enlisted the help of James Andrews in May, after his 4th forearm surgery. Andrews wasn't comfortable giving Gronk the go-ahead today.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 13, 2013
As for the Pats role in all this, my sense is that, after Gronk sat out the ATL game, the club decided to put the decision in 87's hands.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 13, 2013
... The Patriots then viewed Gronk's return as likely to come in a three-game window -- CIN/NO/NYJ. So next week is the end of that window.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 13, 2013