When Rob Gronkowski left Sunday’s Patriots game against the Texans after suffering a broken arm, most assumed that it was a case of Gronk re-injuring the left forearm that he had broken earlier in the season. After all, that injury kept Gronk out until just a few weeks ago and still required him to wear a protective cast.
But a report from CSNNE’s Tom E. Curran on Tuesday claims that the bone fracture that took place during the first quarter of Sunday’s game happened at the end of the protective plate that had been placed on Gronkowksi’s arm, not the original forearm spot. When Gronkowski underwent surgery on Monday, his original break was “fully healed and was intact.”
It’s likely not a coincidence that the fracture happened at the end of the implanted plate in Gronk’s arm. Such plates are said to “funnel” stress to their exit points, leaving those areas more susceptible to injury.
It’s an unfortunate development and one that indicates an extremely bad case of bad luck for Gronkowski, who just can’t seem to stay healthy in the playoffs. It’s also one that quickly puts an end to the debate of whether or not Gronk and the Patriots rushed the recovery process too quickly.
