Rob Gronkowski Won't Play vs. Buccaneers with Thigh Injury

The New England Patriots announced tight end Rob Gronkowski will not play Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to a thigh bruise.

ESPN's Adam Schefter initially reported the news earlier in the day. 

Gronkowski was a late addition to the injury report Wednesday, but he did practice on a limited basis before the team departed for Tampa. 

In his eighth NFL season, Gronkowski is arguably the league's best tight end when healthy, but he has an extensive injury history. He has not played a full season since 2011 and missed half of the 2016 campaign due to injury.

A groin injury took him out of Week 2's win over the New Orleans Saints, but it did not cost him a game. Dwayne Allen was the Patriots' primary target at tight end with him out of the lineup.

The Patriots have lost Julian Edelman for the season to a torn ACL, and Gronkowski and Danny Amendola have also missed time. Tom Brady has kept things afloat despite the growing list of injuries, and the Pats won a Super Bowl last year without Gronkowski. New England's chances to repeat would only go up with its Pro Bowl tight end stretching the field, though.