Rob Gronkowski to Have Back Surgery in June, Miss Start of Training Camp

The offseason of Gronk (surgeries) continues. The bruising and hard charging tight end has had a rough year, going through multiple forearm surgeries, and now a back surgery that will cause him to miss the opening of training camp. The back injury goes back to college, and in fact he slipped in the draft because of injury concerns when he entered the league.

Gronkowski is a mercurial talent, but one has to wonder if he is on the Mark Bavaro career path, as opposed to the Tony Gonzalez longevity plan. Gronkowski should be able to be back in time for the season, but will he stay healthy in 2013? He missed 5 games in 2012, and has been injured during each of the last two offseasons.