FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots may need to finish the AFC championship game without All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski after Gronkowski was drilled on a helmet-to-helmet hit by Jacksonville Jaguars safety Barry Church.
Gronkowski was immediately taken back to the Patriots’ locker room after appearing wobbly on the field after the hit.
It happened on a first-down play from the New England 40: Tom Brady, whose much-talked-about thumb appears to be fine, threw a seam pass for Gronkowski that was a little in front of the tight end but he lunged and appeared to make the catch.