REPORT: Rob Gronkowski Has A Punctured Lung And Multiple Broken Ribs, Still Tried To Play vs Patriots

Rob Gronkowski is tough as they come but even he couldn’t overcome this injury to play Sunday vs New England.

According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, Gronkowski is recovering from “four cracked ribs, one broken rib and a punctured lung” after he suffered a gruesome hit during last week’s loss to the Los Angele Rams.

. @RobGronkowski tells me he actually has “four cracked ribs, one broken rib and a punctured lung” which is about the only thing that would have kept him out of this game! So much more damage than was out there. @NFLonFOX

— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) October 3, 2021

Despite the injury, Gronkowski returned to the game vs Rams but he’s been ruled out of Sunday night’s matchup with his former team, the New England Patriots, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported he could miss weeks with the injury:

Bucs’ TE Rob Gronkowski suffered multiple fractured ribs last Sunday that threaten to sideline him for multiple weeks, sources tell ESPN.

Initial X-rays were clean but follow up MRIs were not. “We held out hope all week he’d be ready,” said one source. “He’s a different breed.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 2, 2021

It’s a major loss for the Bucs. Gronkowski, 32, has been superb through three games, catching 16 passes for 184 yards and four touchdowns. Without him, Tom Brady loses one of his most trusted targets in the red zone.