Rob Gronkowski Active for Buccaneers vs. Giants After Missing 1 Game With Rib Injury

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski is active for Monday night's game against the New York Giants after missing last week with a rib injury.

The news comes as no surprise, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported earlier Monday that Gronkowski was expected to play as long as there were no pregame setbacks.

Gronkowski has appeared in just four games this season due to rib and back injuries.

The 32-year-old missed more than a month after suffering cracked ribs in Week 3. He returned in Week 8 only to leave in the first quarter because of back spasms.

After missing last week's loss against the Washington Football Team, Gronkowski returned to the practice field on Thursday and Friday.

"It's going well now out here. Just did two practices in a row. The arrow is pointing up to play this week, and hopefully it's a go," he told reporters on Friday.

The four-time All-Pro tight end was off to an incredible start before his injuries, scoring four touchdowns in his first two games. He had 16 catches for 184 yards through the first three weeks.

Unfortunately, Gronkowski has played just six snaps since September, per Pro Football Reference.

The veteran's return could be huge for Tampa Bay, which has suffered two successive losses to fall to 6-3 on the season. Even with other elite options like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in the passing attack, Gronkowski is a reliable presence in the middle of the field and is especially dangerous near the end zone.

His chemistry with Tom Brady also goes back to 2010, giving the quarterback a significant boost when he's in the lineup:

Gronkowski's return should make the Buccaneers offense an even tougher one to defend going forward.