NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS tight end Rob Gronkowski has declared himself “ready to roll” for Super Bowl LII despite remaining in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Gronkowski was concussed on a hit by Jacksonville Jaguars safety Barry Church during the Patriots’ 24-20 AFC Championship Game victory.
He did not appear at Monday’s Super Bowl Opening Night in Minneapolis but has effectively ended any thought he would not play against the Philadelphia Eagles.
After appearing at the Patriots’ send-off rally, Gronkowski posted a photo of himself on Instagram with a caption that read: ”Locked in, ready to roll. Minnesota we here. #superbowl52″.
Gronkowski, who was listed on New England’s mandatory injury reports last week, was on the practice field on Saturday and Sunday, when official reports were not required, and looked to be uninhibited, according to multiple reports.
The Pats did not work out on Monday, their travel day, but have media responsibilities on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
NFL rules state players in the protocol do not have to fulfill media obligations, and so the Patriots could shelter him as part of some ongoing gamesmanship ahead of the big one.
Come Sunday, however, all signs point to Gronkowski playing, and that is great news for the Patriots.
He had a team-high 69 receptions for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns in the regular season and typically is quarterback Tom Brady’s go-to target and a matchup nightmare for defences.
- Omni
