New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has a chest injury, not a punctured lung as originally reported, and his injury is “not overly serious,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
An NFL Media report on Monday stated Gronkowski potentially sustained a punctured lung and that his status for next Sunday’s game at the San Francisco 49ers was in doubt.
“I don’t have anything to add,” New England coach Bill Belichick said on Tuesday, when asked about the condition or availability of Gronkowski. “The players aren’t in today so we’ll put a report out Wednesday after we practice and see what happens on Wednesday.”
Gronkowski said he had the wind knocked out of him after taking a hit from Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas late in the second quarter of Sunday night’s game. He left the game but returned shortly after.
“Probably one of the hardest (times) I’ve got hit in my career, for sure, by a good, fast player who’s like a missile,” Gronkowski said of Thomas’ hit.
Gronkowski finished with three catches for 56 yards in the Patriots’ 31-24 loss to Seattle.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady also took a low hit from Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor in Sunday’s game, but isn’t expected to miss any time.
“I’m sore,” Brady told Westwood One’s Jim Gray on Monday. “But I’ll be ready to go next week.”