Bad News For Patriots: Rob Gronkowski Misses Practice Again, Doubtful For 49ers Game

New England Patriots star tight end Robert Gronkowski still hasn’t fully recovered from that big hit from Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas.

According to ESPN, Gronkowski missed his third consecutive practice. His status for Sunday’s game looks bleak at best. Gronkowski had to leave Sunday’s game, a loss to the Seahawks, for a few snaps before returning, however, Monday it was feared that Gronkowski may have actually suffered a punctured lung.

We won’t know for sure if Gronkowski will or won’t play, especially given Head Coach Bill Belichick’s past with answering questions from the media, but it doesn’t look good. Gronkowski has dealt with numerous injuries in the past, and the Patriots may not even want to risk their best target, especially in a game they should be able to win. We also have to remember that the Patriots still have another talented tight end on their roster, Martellus Bennett.

The Patriots next game is against the San Francisco 49ers, which will be on the road. There is a possibility that Gronkowski will not even make the trip. It looks like Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels has been planning on not having Gronkowski all week long.

Gronkowski leads the Patriots this season in receiving yards, but others such as Chris Hogan and Julian Edelman will have to help stretch the field for Tom Brady in Week 11. This next game is a must win for the Patriots considering the circumstances. They are following a loss and the Miami Dolphins have won four consecutive games.