Chance of Injury in 2021: ![]() |
99% |
Chance of Injury per Game: ![]() |
25% |
Projected Games missed for 2021: ![]() |
4.5 |
Durability: ![]() |
2 |
Robert “Rob” James Gronkowski does not need an introduction. The man, the myth, the legend. The now 31-year-old recently unretired, who stands 6’6”and weighs 268 pounds. He grew up in Amherst, New York. “Gronk” comes from a very athletic family where his father played football for Syracuse, great grandfather cycled in the Summer Olympics and several of his brothers also played professionally as well.
Gronkowski played hockey and then eventually transitioned to basketball, baseball, and football. He played tight end and defensive end as well as kickoff specialist (imagine Gronk kicking off to you???). Gronkowski was not only physically gifted but also intelligent, as he was a member of the National Honors Society and stated that math was his best subject. He graduated with a 3.75 GPA (out of 4.0) with a 1560 SAT score (out of 1600).
For his senior year of high school, his family moved to Pittsburgh. Initially ruled ineligible after the transfer, but was eventually cleared and posted some impressive numbers over a short period of time which allowed him to get noticed. Gronkowski decided to attend the University of Arizona as a pre-business major.
He started making a name for himself during his freshman season (2007), posting a 18.8 yards per reception average. His injuries started to accumulate in a 2008 season, as he missed three games. By the end of the season he set multiple school records for the tight end position. Unfortunately Gronkowski missed his junior season of college in 2009, due to back surgery, which as a result caused his draft stock to plummet.
When the 2010 NFL Draft arrived, Gronkowski was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round after a trade with the Oakland Raiders. Pre-draft evaluations revealed that the Raiders actually had Gronkowski as the best all-around player in the draft.
Gronkowski had a very respectable rookie season catching 42…
Date | League | Injury | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Oct 29, 2018 | NFL | Back Lower Lumbar Sprain | Gronk suffered a setback with his back injury and missed 2 games. He returned after the Week 11 bye. |
Oct 14, 2018 | NFL | Back Lower Lumbar Sprain | Gronkowski missed 1 game with an unspecified back injury. It's not clear exactly when he suffered the initial injury. |
Jan 21, 2018 | NFL | Head Cranial Concussion Grade 1 | Gronkowski suffered a concussion on a 2nd-quarter helmet-to-helmet hit by Jaguars S Barry Church. He missed the rest of the game and entered the league protocol. |
Oct 1, 2017 | NFL | Leg Thigh Bruise | Gronkowski suffered a right thigh contusion via a leg whip against the Panthers and missed the following game at Tampa Bay. |
Nov 27, 2016 | NFL | Back Vertebral Disc Hernia | Gronk suffered a herniated disc and impinged nerve that required December surgery. He left after a hit in the Jets game, but the injury reportedly originated Nov. 13 vs. Seattle. Gronk missed the final 5 games plus 3 in the playoffs. |
Nov 13, 2016 | NFL | Chest Lung Bruise | Gronk left late after a big hit by Seattle S Earl Thomas. Injury reported as bruised lung, bruised sternum and perforated lung. Original report of punctured lung proved incorrect. Later back injury and surgery also attributed to this hit. |
Aug 15, 2016 | NFL | Thigh Hamstring Sprain/Pull Unspecified Grade 1 | Gronk pulled up lame in preseason practice. He sat out the entire preseason and 1st 2 regular-season games, then remained limited at least into Week 5. |
Nov 29, 2015 | NFL | Knee Strain Grade 1 | Team and Gronkowski family called the injury a "bone bruise/sprain of his right knee" in a joint statement. Gronk missed 1 game. Later had a January treatment than included a pain injection. |
Dec 8, 2013 | NFL | Head Cranial Concussion Grade 1 | Gronkowski suffered a concussion on the same play that tore his right ACL and MCL. Thus, we have no way to know whether this injury would have cost him further game time. |
Dec 8, 2013 | NFL | Knee MCL Tear Grade 3 | Gronkowski tore his right MCL against the Browns on the same play that tore the right ACL. He hit IR and had reconstructive surgery January 9, 2014. Gronk missed the final 3 games plus 2 in the playoffs. |
Dec 8, 2013 | NFL | Knee ACL Tear Grade 3 | Gronkowski suffered tears to his right ACL and MCL against the Browns. He landed on IR and had reconstructive surgery in January 9, 2014. Gronk missed the final 3 games plus 2 in the playoffs. |
May 17, 2013 | NFL | Back Vertebral Fracture | May MRI on disc issue revealed that he needed back surgery (reportedly not related to 2009 back injury that required surgery). Issue reportedly dated to 2012 season. Gronkowski didn't play until Week 7 of 2013. |
Jan 13, 2013 | NFL | Arm Forearm Fracture | Re-fractured left forearm (not identical injury). Gronk required 3 more surgeries, including treatment for nagging infection. He remained out until Week 7 of 2013 while also recovering from back surgery. |
Nov 18, 2012 | NFL | Arm Forearm Fracture | Gronk sustained a fractured forearm against the Colts and was sidelined the following 5 games. Had surgery November 19, 2012. |
Sep 28, 2012 | NFL | Inguinal Hip Pull | Gronk suffered a pulled hip during a practice which limited his reps that week but returned in time for the game. |
Jan 22, 2012 | NFL | Pedal Ankle (high) Sprain Grade 3 | Gronkowski suffered a high-ankle sprain in the AFC Championship game. He played through the injury in the Super Bowl 2 weeks later but required arthroscopic surgery later in February. He reportedly suffered multiple torn ligaments. |
Aug 15, 2009 | Non-NFL | Back Vertebral Disc Hernia | Missed entire junior year at Arizona (2009) following surgery for bulging disk in back. According to his book "It's Good to be Gronk," MRI showed badly ruptured disk that was damaging nerves in spinal cord. |
Aug 30, 2008 | Non-NFL | Cervical Throat Mononucleosis | In college, Gronkowski missed 3 games with mononucleosis and strep throat. |