Rob Gronkowski Injury Update, fifth surgery will be avoided?

New England Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski will have to undergo a fourth surgery next week, reportedly Monday, on his left forearm in order to replace a plate there. Gronkowski’s arm is the subject of much concern among some Patriots fans, and it is scary to think that the star tight end suffered two broken arms within just two months, had a severe infection of that arm, and will now need a fourth surgery. Any setback could (or could still) greatly hurt Gronk, but it sounds like Gronk is in the clear right now.

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According to Pro Football Talk, the Patriots team doctors are confident that Rob Gronkowski’s infection is gone and that Gronk has avoided a fifth surgery. If Gronk needed to undergo the knife a fifth time due to the continued presence of the infection, then he would not have been able to start the season in time. Gronkowski pretty much always needed to have a fourth surgery, so it’s great to hear that the doctors believe that Gronkowski won’t need that.

PFT also reports that the famed Dr. James Andrews will be consulting Gronkowski’s surgery next week, and it sounds like things are going smoothly on that front. There is reason to be optimistic, but I don’t think I need to remind you that there is reason to be extremely cautious and, when thinking long-term, a bit pessimistic. Gronkowski is expected to be back by training camp, because it truly does sound like a fourth surgery is the final step for the Pats star TE. Things could change with the slightest setback, but this is a very encouraging report from PFT.

By the way, I would recommend reading the comments section of that PFT post; filled with great comments from fans being classy about Gronk’s injury. Seriously, the non-Pats fans are backing him up, and PFT is an example of how the anti-Pats trolls are actually not held in favor by the general NFL public.

Leave your thoughts below in the comments section on Rob Gronkowski’s injury and the report from PFT’s Mike Florio.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.