Rob Gronkowski Injury: New England Patriots Tight End Could Have Punctured Lung

The New England Patriots didn’t just lose their second game of the season over the weekend, they may have temporarily lost their best tight end.

Midway through Sunday Night’s much anticipated game, Robert Gronkowski collided with Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas after an incomplete pass from Tom Brady. The hit was legal, and Gronkowski did return to the game after missing just five plays. In fact, Gronkowski made one of the best plays of that game on the Patriots final drive catching a 26-yard pass along the left side to the one yard line with less than one minute remaining.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, they couldn’t score from the one. The Patriots are 7-2 after that defeat.

According to NFL.com, it is still unclear what Gronkowski suffered, but many insiders are fearing it could be a punctured lung. Whether or not Gronkowski misses the Patriots next game against the San Francisco 49ers remains to be seen, but fortunately for the Patriots they do have Martellus Bennett to lean on.

"That was a big hit -- probably one of the hardest I've got hit in my career, for sure. By a good, fast player who's like a missile. It was a good, clean hit. Nothing against it. It's a little tough to breathe, but once it comes back, you're good. He hit me fair and square. It's football. You're going to get laid out eventually," Gronkowski said.

Gronkowski finished that game with just three catches for 56 yards against the Legion of Boom. He is the Patriots leading receiver with 540 yards this year, but it may be wise to rest him considering his injury history. Gronkowski is capable of destroying defenses, but we all know he’s just one hit away from disaster.