Outside of the man wearing No. 12, there isn’t a more important member of the New England Patriots than Rob Gronkowski.
The big man is a matchup nightmare – too big for safeties to defend him, yet far too fast for most linebackers. Still, Gronkowski left the AFC Championship Game with a concussion, posing the question as to whether New England’s top receiving tight end will be medically cleared to play in Super Bowl LII against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The shot that Gronkowski took to the head was devastating. Tony Romo called it immediately when he saw the hit, and noted that the biggest story of that play wasn’t the 15-yard penalty called against Barry Church, rather whether or not Gronkowski would be able to return to the game.
Gronk was woozy coming off the field, reportedly repeating “Wow” over and over again as he stumbled to the locker room. He never returned to the game and entered the dreaded concussion protocol.
Rob Gronkowski Injury History
Concussion protocol is a weird thing for NFLers nowadays. Players can get through protocol in a matter of 24 hours, or it could take months for a player to be cleared. It’s never easy to tell, especially when you’re dealing with a player who has as many injuries as Gronkowski.
Though Gronkowski has had a litany of injuries to overcome in his career, he hasn’t missed time due to a concussion.
We’re talking about a man who has dealt with various back injuries, an ACL tear and a forearm fracture in the past, but never anything quite as potentially serious as this concussion.
The initial reports out of Boston suggest that there is a sense of optimism around 1 Patriot Place that Gronkowski will be able to play in two weeks, though there is still a long way to go to get him on the field.
Gronkowski missed the Super Bowl last year with a back injury, yet the Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl without him.
The Impact of the New England Offense Without Rob Gronkowski
The Patriots obviously did just fine in the Super Bowl last year without Gronk, and the beneficiary was James White. White broke the Super Bowl record for the most receptions by a player in a single game with 14, and arguably should have won MVP honors instead of Tom Brady.
Brady completed 26 passes in the AFC Championship Game against Jacksonville. Gronkowski had just one reception for 21 yards before exiting with his head injury. White and Dion Lewis combined to catch 10 passes for 54 yards, proving once again that they will be among the primary targets for Brady if his big tight end can’t play on Super Sunday.
Will Rob Gronkowski Play in Super Bowl 52?
Maybe? Your guess is as good as ours at this point.
The best signal for a handicapper to take right now is New England’s history. Though the Patriots have never openly been accused of cheating a player through concussion protocol like the Seahawks and Panthers were this year with Russell Wilson and Cam Newton, respectively, they do have a history of bending the rules in their favor as best they can.
The oddsmakers at BetDSI Sportsbook have listed Gronkowski as a -150 favorite to be cleared to play in the Super Bowl. You can find more analysis on BetDSI’s Super Bowl props on our Super Bowl LII Props Page.
Odds Rob Gronkowski is Medically Cleared to Play in Super Bowl 52
Yes -150
No +120
Opening Odds Courtesy of BetDSI.eu. Odds subject to change. Click Here for up-to-date odds.
