Tampa Bay Buccaneers News & Rumors

Rob Gronkowski won’t be getting a homecoming in New England after all. The veteran tight end is not traveling to New England and will not play against the Patriots tonight, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

This injury may be a bit more serious than originally believed. After X-rays came back revealing minimal damage, a subsequent MRI revealed Gronkowski suffered multiple cracked ribs against the Rams and could miss multiple games, Schefter tweets. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com originally reported that the MRI and CT scan showed two breaks (Twitter link), but it was later discovered that Gronkowski actually has four cracked ribs, one broken rib, and a punctured lung (Twitter link via Jay Glazer of FOX Sports).

Gronk suffered the injury during last weekend’s game against the Rams, and after not practicing all week, he was listed as doubtful to play. However, head coach Bruce Arians kept the door open, saying Gronkowski would be a game-time decision. Alas, the veteran tight end won’t be suiting up for tonight’s showdown.

Still, Gronkowski is not expected to land on IR, as Greg Auman of The Athletic writes. Under the modified injured reserve rules, a player on IR need only miss three games before being activated, and including tonight, the Bucs play three games in 11 days. While it seems likely that Gronk will miss next Sunday’s bout with the Dolphins, he could be ready to go for the following Thursday night contest against the Eagles. Otherwise, Auman posits, the club could have parked Gronkowski on IR and kept a roster spot open for 2020 draftee Khalil Davis, who was cut yesterday.

While much has been made of Tom Brady‘s return to Gillette Stadium, Gronkowski also put together a Hall of Fame career during his stint with the Patriots. In nine seasons with the team, Gronk earned three Super Bowl rings while hauling in 79 regular season touchdowns, the most in franchise history. The tight end caught on with Brady and the Bucs last season and proceeded to win another ring.

The 32-year-old was having a hot start to the 2021 campaign, collecting four touchdowns through the first three weeks. Fortunately for the Buccaneers, the team should be fine without their starter, as the team is still rostering O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate.

Tom Brady‘s return to New England has understandably overshadowed everything else about Week 4’s Sunday night game, but it also marks Rob Gronkowski‘s first matchup with the Patriots since being traded. But Brady’s wingman is not looking likely to suit up.

Gronkowski did not practice this week, and the Buccaneers listed the future Hall of Fame tight end as doubtful to face the Patriots. Bruce Arians is willing to play Gronk without him having practiced, however, calling him a game-time decision, via ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine (on Twitter).

A rib injury sustained in Los Angeles represents Gronkowski’s first setback with the Bucs, though he obviously endured numerous injury issues with the Patriots.

Gronk’s first Bucs season featured the tight end bouncing back with a 20-game campaign. He caught two touchdowns in Super Bowl LV, collecting his fourth ring, and hauled in four TD passes from Brady through two games this year. Should the 32-year-old tight end not be able to go Sunday, it would be his 31st missed regular-season game as a pro. Gronkowski re-signed with the Bucs this offseason but has not committed to extending his unretirement beyond this season.

The Bucs are rather well-equipped to handle a Gronk absence, with the team hanging onto trade-rumor mainstay O.J. Howard and keeping Cameron Brate as well. Antonio Brown is also back to join Mike Evans and Chris Godwin as options for Brady in his Foxborough return.