Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will undergo further testing on his right knee injured in Sunday night's loss to the Broncos, but initial reports are that the injury isn't serious.
Both ESPN and Pro Football Talk cited unidentified sources in reporting that assessment, with the caveat that the additional tests would be needed.
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Coach Bill Belichick had no postgame update on Gronkowski's fourth-quarter injury, after which he was was carted from the field.
ESPN footage showed Gronkowski walking unassisted, albeit with a limp, from the X-ray room to the visitors' locker room in Denver's Sports Authority Field.
Gronkowski was in the locker room as reporters entered after the game but didn't answer questions.
"He's been through a lot," quarterback Tom Brady said after the overtime loss (via CSNNE.com). "He's a tough guy. Hopefully it's not too serious. We'll see. All of our fingers are crossed."
Gronkowski was injured trying to catch a pass on a first-and-10 play with 2:49 remaining in the game. The lofted pass down the right side forced Gronkowski to turn, and as he reached for it, Broncos safety Darian Stewart hit the side of his knee. Gronkowski immediately began writhing on the ground in pain.
Brady was asked after the game if he felt Stewart's hit was a "dirty."
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"I wouldn't say it's … I hate to see it … It's really the only way for defenders to hit now," Brady said. "I bet if you asked a lot of the players, they'd probably rather you go high then low. When you go low, that's what happens. I don't think it's dirty, I just think that's the way football's being played now."
According to ESPN, Gronkowski at one point in the postgame locker room bent over to pick up his luggage, walked over to tight ends coach Brian Daboll and began talking about details of the team's 30-24 overtime loss before walking to the team buses.
