Wednesday, the Patriots confirmed that tight end Rob Gronkowski is in the concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head in Sunday's AFC championship victory, though Ian Rapaport reported that there are "positive vibes regarding his status for the Super Bowl.”u200b That's good news for New England, as is the fact the team has done fine without Gronk in the past.
The Patriots are 24-6 without their star tight end, including 4-2 in the playoffs and 1-0 in Super Bowls after they beat Atlanta while Gronkowski watched as he recovered from back surgery.