Tight End Rob Gronkowski, one of the most integral parts of New England’s offense, worked out on Saturday but has still not been cleared from concussion protocol. Internet sportsbooks still believe the tight end will be on the field in the 2018 Super Bowl and have him at a -150 to play. He is a +120 to miss the game.
Gronkowski suffered the head injury after a helmet to helmet hit with Jacksonville linebacker Barry Church in the second quarter of the AFC Championship game. He left the field, reportedly saying “wow” over and over again and looking disoriented as he was led to the locker room.
He did not return to the game and was immediately placed under the concussion protocol. He later was diagnosed with a head cranial concussion Grade 1. The designation is the best news for the Patriots. It is considered mild and a player could return quicker than someone with a Grade 2, which is moderate or a Grade 3, a severe concussion that could put an athlete on the sidelines for weeks.
Not Out of Woods
The time off the field that someone with a similar injury to the tight end’s can be anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks. Coach Bill Belichick has not addressed the situation and neither has Gronkowski or any other player.
The team listed him as “Out” for this week’s injury report meaning if the game were held last Sunday he would not have been able to play. He has practiced with the squad, which is allowed as long as he doesn’t participate in contact drills. He spent Saturday doing a light work out. He stretched, jogged and caught passes without any one covering him.
People are pointing to the sessions as a positive sign that he will return in time for Sunday’s big game. League rules state that he has to be cleared by the Patriot’s head doctor and then by an independent neurological consultant.
New England is eager to get him back. The 6-foot-6, 285-pounder is a nightmare for defenders to cover. He is too big for defensive backs and too fast for linebackers. He finished the regular season with a team-high 69 catches for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns.
History of Injuries
If he can’t play it won’t be the first time he has missed the Super Bowl. He was inactive for last year’s game after undergoing surgery for a herniated disc. He has also suffered an ACL tear, an MCL tear, and a fractured forearm in his eight-year professional career. He also endured his first known concussion in 2013 but it was on the same play he tore knee ligaments so how long it took to recover was not known.
The injuries thus far are not affecting his proposition bets or MVP odds. He is listed third at 10/1 to win the MVP behind quarterbacks Nick Foles (7/2) and favorite Tom Brady (4/5).
Gronkowski is also a +130 to score a touchdown in the game, and the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has the over/under for receptions at five.