Eleven days after leaving the AFC Championship Game with a head injury, Rob Gronkowski was cleared from NFL concussion protocol on Thursday and practiced without limitation with the New England Patriots during the team's afternoon workout at the Minnesota Vikings' practice facility 15 miles away in Eden Prairie.
"I knew I was going to be playing (in the Super Bowl) the whole time," Gronkowski said in his first meeting of the week with media members at Mall of America. While in concussion protocol, players are not allowed to participate in press conferences.
"The biggest test was just waiting to get cleared. And waiting. And waiting. I was just waiting for that day. I knew I was going to prepare, be prepared, that wasn't going to be a problem."