Getty Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski will be sidelined.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski is in worse shape than originally expected.
On Saturday, October 2, Gronkowski was ruled out for his homecoming against the New England Patriots due to his rib injury. While that is bad enough, the extent and severity of his injuries were not revealed until later on.
On Sunday, October 3, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported Gronkowski said his injuries include “four cracked ribs, one broken rib and a punctured lung.”
“So much more damage than was out there,” Glazer tweeted.
The Inside scoop – week 4 @RobGronkowski tells me he has “4 cracked ribs, 1 broken rib, and a punctured lung,” which is about the only thing that would have kept him out of this game. Bit more
on Watson & Lane Johnson out today, not with the team for personal reasons. @NFLonFOX
The extent of Gronkowski’s injuries have taken almost a complete 180-degree turn over the past few days. As recently as Friday, October 1, Gronkowski was considered a game-time decision, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Saturday that Gronkowski could be out “multiple weeks.”
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.”
Despite the injury, the Buccaneers have yet to place Gronkowski on injured reserve.
Through three games this season, the veteran tight end has re-emerged as one of Tom Brady‘s favorite targets. The 32-year-old tight end leads the Buccaneers with four touchdown receptions and ranks third in targets (20), just behind receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (25).
We’ll see if Gronkowski’s injury improves enough after Week 4 for the Buccaneers to keep him on the team’s active roster.
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Patriots Will Acknowledge Brady’s Record
While the attention will be on Brady and Bill Belichick as they lock eyes on the field for the first time since the former’s departure from New England, one notable event will occur — Brady becoming the all-time leader in passing yards.
Entering the Week 4 matchup versus the New England Patriots, Brady is 68 yards away from surpassing Drew Brees as the leader in the category.
To top it all off, Brady will accomplish the feat against the team that he spent the first 20 years of his career with.
So how do the Patriots plan on celebrating the momentous occasion?
According to Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the team will play a one-minute tribute video to Brady on the Gillette Stadium video stadium board before the game.
“Right before the Buccaneers come out, you look at the big board, and for one minute, we’re going to run something that I think is very respectful and worthy,” Kraft said on ESPN’s “NFL Countdown” on Sunday, via Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston.
The tribute won’t stop there. When Brady does actually break the record, the game will be stopped to recognize his milestone.
“If he winds up breaking the record — although I guess in some ways I hope he doesn’t, but realistically, he will — the game will stop and we will honor that moment out of respect to him as a great athlete,” Kraft said.
Buccaneers to Start Sherman in First Game
Due to Tampa Bay’s mounting injuries at the cornerback position with Jamel Dean (knee) and Sean Murphy-Bunting (elbow) out, the Buccaneers will start the newly signed Richard Sherman on Sunday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Sherman was signed on Wednesday, September 29. That means after just three practices with his new club, the veteran corner will not only appear in his first game just days after signing, he’ll be a starter.