New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez's Hip Surgery No Cause for Panic

New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez underwent surgery on his right hip after the 2010 season, according to The Hartford Courant.

The Patriots' fourth-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft played very well in the first eight games of last season. He made all eight starts, caught 34 passes and played an average of 47 offensive snaps per game, according to ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss.

In the second half of the season, Hernandez totaled just 11 receptions and played an average of 18.3 snaps per game. He also missed two games due to injury, but played in the AFC Divisional Round against the New York Jets.

Of course, the second-half emergence of Rob Gronkowski may have hindered Hernandez's playing time just a bit. Seven of Gronkowski's 10 touchdowns came in the final eight games of the season, and he also had 28 of his 42 receptions in that span.

We'll likely never know whether Hernandez's decline in production was because of Gronkowski's emergence or the result of the hip injury, but there is one promising sign that indicates Hernandez's recovery could be quick, and even suggests that he could improve after the injury.

According to Comcast SportsNet New England's Tom E. Curran, the surgery is similar to one Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas underwent in the 2010 offseason. Thomas has come back strong, and many feel that he is even better than ever.

Thomas has played 42 games (starting 40 of them) and is 26-8-6 this season, leading the league with a 93.8 percent save percentage and seven shutouts. But I digress.

The surgery only takes four months to recover from, so Hernandez will be ready to go for training camp.

With a quick recovery time, and evidence that suggests a smooth transition back to the field of play, it seems like this is a pretty noninvasive surgery. Hernandez's quickness, sure hands and strength make him a tough matchup for linebackers and safeties alike.

So far, all signs point to none of that changing.