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Rob Gronkowski has ankle surgery

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February 11, 2012|By Staff reports

Rob Gronkowski was courtside at the Lakers-Celtics game last night. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff )

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski underwent surgery on his ailing left ankle today, a team source confirmed.

It happened just five days after Gronkowski played in the Patriots’ Super Bowl XLVI loss to the Giants.

Gronkowski had the procedure to repair multiple torn ligaments. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. George Theodore performed the operation at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Gronkowski originally injured the ankle two weeks prior to that in an AFC title game win against the Ravens.

Gronkowski is expected to need about 10 weeks to recover.

The tight end, who had just two catches for 26 yards on Sunday, seemed to be limited in his mobility. He insisted after the game he was “100 percent” and denied he needed surgery.

But Gronkowski’s ankle was heavily taped and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said before the game that the tight end likely wouldn’t have played if not for the Super Bowl.

Gronkowski drew attention when he appeared dancing on stage shirtless at a Patriots post-game party.

SportsBusiness Journal first reported Gronkowski’s surgery.