| Advertisement |
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says losing his top target, tight end Rob Gronkowski, for at least the remainder of the regular season is "a big void left by such a spectacular player." Gronkowski is scheduled to undergo surgery Friday in Los Angeles to repair a herniated disk and he is expected to miss two months, the team announced Thursday.
Advertisement
"Nobody wants Gronk not out there. Everybody wants Gronk out there every play of every game. But that's not our reality," Brady told host Jim Gray on Thursday during his weekly interview on Westwood One Radio. "We still have a job to do and we're going to try to do it as well as we possibly can.
"It doesn't help losing great players, and to not have Gronk out there -- one of our best players and one of our most dependable, consistent players -- makes things challenging for us. But that's what the NFL season is about. It's about overcoming challenges, adversities. We have a lot of good players on our team that are going to need to step in and fill the void. And that's a big void left by such a spectacular player in Gronk."
The timetable would put Gronkowski on the shelf until the week of the Super Bowl should the Patriots, currently tied for the top record in the AFC, advance that far.
"So we understand the challenge is ahead," Brady said on the radio program. "It becomes more challenging when you lose such a great player in Gronk, but I don't think any of us are going to give up on what we're trying to accomplish. We've played games without him this season, and we're going to need to reach a higher level as individuals so that we can reach a higher level as a team.
"Everyone is thinking about him and what he's gone through. It's such a physical sport. It's hard to see people that you care about go through injuries. He's gone through his fair share. I also know the resolve he has and that will never change with him. He'll be as determined as ever to get back and get better as soon as possible."
Gronkowski did not make his season debut until Week 4 due to a hamstring injury, but he took off once Brady returned from a season-opening four-game suspension.
"Our thoughts are with him and what he's gone through," Brady said Thursday night. "He's such a mentally tough person. He's physically tough. He has a great energy and spirit about him, so we're all wishing him the very best, and we hope he gets better as soon as possible."
Brady has been dealing with his own health issues, but he said his injured knee is feeling better as the Patriots prepare for Sunday's home game against the Los Angeles Rams.
"I'm feeling so much better today. I'm excited about this weekend, going out there and playing against a great Rams defense," Brady said. "It's going to be a good challenge for us and I'll be feeling a lot better than I was feeling last week. That's part of (the) football season, too, is dealing with the bumps and bruises and fighting through whatever adversity you face over the course of the week. A lot of guys are banged up at this time of year, a lot of guys aren't feeling 100 percent, but you still have to go out there and find a way to perform at a high level. Nobody is making excuses and certainly nobody feels sorry for the Patriots. We still have to go out there and try to do our best and play a great game."
Patriots coach Bill Belichick briefly discussed the Gronkowski situation on Friday before turning the focus to the Rams.
"Obviously, we're all disappointed," Belichick told reporters of Gronkowski. "Nobody's worked harder than Rob and has been a better teammate and all that, so hopefully things will work out as positively as possible with him.
"All the information we gave you is really all we have for now. I'm sure there will be more coming in as we go through the next few days, so we'll just take it as it comes. It's an unfortunate situation for him. That being said, we're turning our attention to the Rams."
The Patriots initially were unaware of the severity of Gronkowski's injury, using their injury/designation to return Wednesday on rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett. That means they would have to carry Gronkowski on the active roster or place him on season-ending injured reserve.
In his seventh season with New England, Gronkowski set a franchise record with his 69th touchdown against Buffalo on Oct. 30. Gronkowski registered multiple double-digit touchdown receptions in five of his seven seasons, including a career-best 17 in 2011.
A second-round draft pick out of Arizona in 2010, Gronkowski also has been plagued by injuries during his star-studded career, including back issues in college that raised enough concerns to keep him out of the first round.
In a four-game span beginning in Week 5, Gronkowski had 21 receptions and three touchdowns while going over 100 yards three times.
Backup tight end Martellus Bennett has filled in admirably in Gronkowski's absence and as a complement to the perennial Pro Bowler, posting three 100-yard games of his own. However, Bennett currently is dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries.
