Rob Gronkowski Reveals That He's Suffered 'Like 20 Concussions In My Life'
BOSTON (CBS) -- There are a lot of New England football fans who would love to see Rob Gronkowski make a comeback at some point in the next year or two. But after hearing Gronk chat about the number of concussions he has suffered, that may change.
Gronkowski's injury history is well known. He underwent nine surgeries going back to his college days, but that was common knowledge. What wasn't know was the number of concussions Gronkowski had suffered. He alluded to dealing with head injuries during his career, but never put a number on it.
That changed Tuesday when Gronkowski sat down with CBS News, and the number is alarming. Gronkowski thinks he's suffered 20 concussions throughout his life, and five of them were pretty serious.
"I will let my son play football, but first off, I will educate him on the game. Educate him on what I went through," Gronkowski said. "I truly believe that any injury you receive is fixable. I went through it. I had nine surgeries, probably had like 20 concussions in my life, no lie. I remember like five blackout ones."
That is a lot of concussions, even for someone who took the punishment that Rob Gronkowski received over his nine years in the NFL. During his time with the Patriots, Gronkowski suffered two documented concussions -- one in 2013 and another in 2018 -- though most concussions in the NFL go unreported.
Gronkowski said that he's now "fixed," but don't expect to see No. 87 running routes in Foxboro anytime soon. Though he joked that he may come back as a receiver or safety, Gronkowski sounds happy to be retired.
"It's the same answer I have with everyone -- I have to be really feeling it to come back," he said. "I'm in a good place right now."
