Gronk likely to play vs Saints

[BuddyRyans46]

So Belichick's quote of the "utmost confidence in all our medical staff" had an underlying meaning.

yep, sounds like it, Jlaff. Pretty clear by now that he Pats (via their medical staff) have been trying to pressure Gronk to play, which he refuses to do UNLESS and UNTIL his personally selected doctors give him the green light. I gotta admit, it seems reasonable to me. It is his body and career after all, not Belichick's. You hardly blame Gronk or his family for just looking out for what is best for Gronk, ESPECIALLY after Schefter's report regarding the family's low opinion of the Pats medical staff. Any of us would do the same.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'd like to ask for some input from the older members of this site who have watched decades of NFL football....have you EVER seen or heard of this "bone/plate malfunction career over" scenario in your entire life??

I haven't. The more I hear and read the more mystified I become. I'm not a medical professional so perhaps one of the "doctors" here can explain it to me. I broke my arm once. They put it in a cast .It healed. They told me it would actually be a stronger part of the bone when it fully healed. They didn't use screws, plates,kevlar, rods, ball bearings or whatever the hell else the latest genius generation has invented to improve on nature.

Now I hear this plaintive wailing cry that Gronk's career could be over because of a broken arm that can never heal. Uh...HUH?????????????..Is there some NEW kind of human anatomy I'm not aware of? Or is this just the supercilious prattlings of undercover media mongoloids in meat suits designed to generate hysteria and more hits for THEIR scumbag interests? Case in point, this complete and utter waste of DNA named Mike Salk...this scary Mary clown blabbered on fort a good 15 minutes today about Gronk's career possibly being over....with a broken arm? I must be missing something...I could have SWORN I saw Jack Youngblood play an entire game with a broken leg...and play for years afterwards. Is today's world been transformed by some magic wussification wand?

Osteomyelitis

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Per Schefter, Mortensen and Glazer....Gronk is OUT for Sunday. Apparently the team wanted him to play, but he refused to play without getting cleared first by his own doctors, who subsequently refused to clear him. Stay tuned, folks.

That's not what the article says.

It's pretty darn clear you're not a Pats fan, and we don't take kindly to trolls spreading cr*p here. Be careful, lest YOU get canceled.

 

[CelticPatriot]

I really don't get this, he was ok to play earlier in the week, but now for some reason he can't play? The surgery had a random side effect 12+ weeks later?

 

[JMC00]

So Belichick's quote of the "utmost confidence in all our medical staff" had an underlying meaning.

The underlying to that is Gronkowski is leaving it up to the Redskins team doctor to clear him.

 

[BuddyRyans46]

The underlying to that is Gronkowski is leaving it up to the Redskins team doctor to clear him.

^^^^yep, that just about sums it up. Schefter reported in his podcast today that the team "expected" Gronk to "definitely" play this Sunday, but after speaking to him today, it now looks like he is not going to. Make of that what you will. Sounds to me like he just said "no."

 

[Mack Herron]

I'd like to ask for some input from the older members of this site who have watched decades of NFL football....have you EVER seen or heard of this "bone/plate malfunction career over" scenario in your entire life??

I haven't. The more I hear and read the more mystified I become. I'm not a medical professional so perhaps one of the "doctors" here can explain it to me. I broke my arm once. They put it in a cast .It healed. They told me it would actually be a stronger part of the bone when it fully healed. They didn't use screws, plates,kevlar, rods, ball bearings or whatever the hell else the latest genius generation has invented to improve on nature.

Now I hear this plaintive wailing cry that Gronk's career could be over because of a broken arm that can never heal. Uh...HUH?????????????..Is there some NEW kind of human anatomy I'm not aware of? Or is this just the supercilious prattlings of undercover media mongoloids in meat suits designed to generate hysteria and more hits for THEIR scumbag interests? Case in point, this complete and utter waste of DNA named Mike Salk...this scary Mary clown blabbered on fort a good 15 minutes today about Gronk's career possibly being over....with a broken arm? I must be missing something...I could have SWORN I saw Jack Youngblood play an entire game with a broken leg...and play for years afterwards. Is today's world been transformed by some magic wussification wand?

The difference between you and Gronk is that his is not just a broken arm, and he plays in the NFL. He had a broken arm with serious complications: a second fracture, a second plate, multiple surgeries and infection of the bone. He has endured a cascade of complications, and that is the reason it was reported today that if they just put it in a cast to begin with, we would not be in this position. For all we know, Gronk would have healed fine in a cast for 8 weeks just like you. Regardless of how he got here, however, Gronk now finds himself in a position where few people with a broken arm find themselves. Simply because there are no other NFL players who have had this injury (with all its complications) it is difficult to know his prognosis with any certainty. Caution is certainly understandable.

An infection is a serious complication. He could be fine, but it also could be career- threatening. Consider the possible prognoses outside of football:

A bone infection can be difficult to eliminate. It can require long-term antibiotic treatment, as well as several surgeries. In some severe cases, your surgeon may consider amputating the infected limb in order to stop the infection. Occasionally, people are required to take antibiotics for the rest of their lives.

If the infection is successfully treated, patients can recover without serious, ongoing problems. An infection after a fracture, however, may require multiple trips to the operating room, long-term need for antibiotics, and a prolonged course of healing.

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00580

 

[Christian]

This is getting bad. It really is. Basically two well known and respected doctors still haven't cleared while the Pats medical staff has? That is what it sounds like...on top of him getting surgery last year when he apparently shouldn't have??

No matter how you slice it, this is once again bad pub for the Patriots. Not sure who to believe but there is something sketchy in this whole mess.

 

[Rob0729]

Per Schefter, Mortensen and Glazer....Gronk is OUT for Sunday. Apparently the team wanted him to play, but he refused to play without getting cleared first by his own doctors, who subsequently refused to clear him. Stay tuned, folks.

Rob Gronkowski not expected to play Sunday for New England Patriots, according to sources - ESPN Boston

If you watch the video, Schefter says that Gzronk could be cleared in the next 24 hours, but the outlook is less likely now. So he is definitely not out yet.

For all we know, Gronk always planned to be evaluated tomorrow after a week of practice.

 

[BSR]

This is getting bad. It really is. Basically two well known and respected doctors still haven't cleared while the Pats medical staff has? That is what it sounds like...on top of him getting surgery last year when he apparently shouldn't have??

No matter how you slice it, this is once again bad pub for the Patriots. Not sure who to believe but there is something sketchy in this whole mess.

They guy has been lifting, practicing and even being tackled for weeks. If there were any sort of infection he wouldn't be doing any of that. The bone has had months to heal. How much more healing can a bone possibly need to heal?

 

[Rob0729]

The difference between you and Gronk is that his is not just a broken arm, and he plays in the NFL. He had a broken arm with serious complications: a second fracture, a second plate, multiple surgeries and infection of the bone. He has endured a cascade of complications, and that is the reason it was reported today that if they just put it in a cast to begin with, we would not be in this position. For all we know, Gronk would have healed fine in a cast for 8 weeks just like you. Regardless of how he got here, however, Gronk now finds himself in a position where few people with a broken arm find themselves. Simply because there are no other NFL players who have had this injury (with all its complications) it is difficult to know his prognosis with any certainty. Caution is certainly understandable.

An infection is a serious complication. He could be fine, but it also could be career- threatening. Consider the possible prognoses outside of football:



Infections After Fracture-OrthoInfo - AAOS

The thing is they already said that the infection in his arm had already been complete eradicated.

 

[Mack Herron]

The thing is they already said that the infection in his arm had already been complete eradicated.

It just isn't that simple. Complete healing is difficult to achieve and even more difficult to assess.

Acute Infections After Fracture Repair

 

[pherein]

Im not sure what the fuss is all about. Everyone is going to know on game day
I can wait till then.

Didnt speculation kill a couple cats for something like that?
I mean…

A falcons game is hand is worth 2 reggie Bush, er right ?

 

[Jackson 2]

Should they shoot him or just put him to pasture for stud fees?

JC, I'm pilloried up and down all the time here as a pompom waving homer fanboy. But, I'm looking for just one tidbit that might make me feel optimistic. Got any?????

 

[kennyb]

Time to take that second plate out and clean out that infection. Target 2014. Better late than never.

 

[Froob]

As much as it pains me to say this, I think it might be time to move on. If it isn't healed now, will it ever be?

 

[supafly]

they did take the plate out.

Yeah, and then put in a new one.

Most reports claimed that the original idea was to remove the plate after this 2013 season, but when the infection came about it had to be taken out and re-stalled after the infection cleared. Hence, some of the multiple surgeries.

 

[supafly]

Can any of the more well-respected veteran posters give their take on what they see as a possible timeline here?

Are we looking at another couple/few weeks at worst? Is there a possibility of waiting until after the bye in week 11 if it's "that" much of a concern still? Is there a possibility for IR for this season? How about potentially career ending?

Does anyone honestly have a read on any of this?

I mean is there really a possibility of him being placed on IR and STILL not being able to return in 2014?

Wouldn't common sense have dictated that Belichick add either a viable candidate at receiver or TE if Gronkowski was going to miss a lot more time?

My guess is that no one knows a damn thing, and that everyone is on the same watch as I am, but I figured I'd ask.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

JC, I'm pilloried up and down all the time here as a pompom waving homer fanboy. But, I'm looking for just one tidbit that might make me feel optimistic. Got any?????

Allow me to take shot at why there should be optimism:
He is practicing (suggesting his arm is not one step from falling off or needing more repair).
He hasn't been ruled out (suggesting he is possible to play).
BB and staff are really smart and consider every roster spot crucially important (suggesting his return at some point, whether this Sunday or a Sunday coming up is likely).
The media is putting out reports that say he will not play and he will play (suggesting they do not know, suggesting any dire prophecies are likely just some dumbass with a keyboard taking a shot in the dark).

Every minute that goes by and he is not officially ruled out gives optimism. And the best point overall is only 37 hours (give or take) until the question is certainly answered.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Can any of the more well-respected veteran posters give their take on what they see as a possible timeline here?

Are we looking at another couple/few weeks at worst? Is there a possibility of waiting until after the bye in week 11 if it's "that" much of a concern still? Is there a possibility for IR for this season? How about potentially career ending?

Does anyone honestly have a read on any of this?

I mean is there really a possibility of him being placed on IR and STILL not being able to return in 2014?

Wouldn't common sense have dictated that Belichick add either a viable candidate at receiver or TE if Gronkowski was going to miss a lot more time?

My guess is that no one knows a damn thing, and that everyone is on the same watch as I am, but I figured I'd ask.

I think the common sense angle is a good one. I tell you what, considering how incredibly thin the TE spot is, if Gronk doesn't play this season either BB got some very bad medical input and/or he decided to take one giant roll of the dice and/or the arm or back took a very unexpected bad turn (but if this one were the case, would he still be practicing? Doesn't seem likely).

IMHO the long range concern is just nerves on the part of the fans. While no coach is above making mistakes, it is hard to believe that BB or any coach wouldn't have put the player on PUP before week 1 (if I understand PUP correctly) if doctors were telling them 'I don't know, tangible chance it will be weeks before he can play.....maybe not play at all this year'. IMHO Gronk will be back on the field sooner rather than later.