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On Friday, Rob Gronkowski spoke to the media for the first time since suffering a broken rib against the Rams. At the end of the six-minute session, he was asked about the pain associated with the injury.

“I’ve never been shot before, but it’s like how it felt,” Gronkowski said.

(And that was the end of his press conference; the video was cut abruptly as it happened before a certain fictional mafia boss was shot.)

Shortly before comparing his week three injury to his shooting, Gronkowski briefly reflected on the string of injuries he had sustained in his career. He said he would point out his various football ailments when his children complain of bumps and bruises.

“I will certainly file this, too, under the workers’ comp,” Gronkowski laughed. “I think the NFL after I finished it scared. Labor camp. I’m coming for you guys.”

Gronkowski came back briefly from a rib injury in Week 8 against the Saints, but left with a so-called back injury.

“I mean, this was a situation that looked like playtime,” Gronkowski said. “And unfortunately, I mean it didn’t go the way we thought it would. But we were ready for it. We were ready for both cases. And that’s it. I mean, that’s what happened. It didn’t go the way we planned. We just had to take it a step back. Then make sure we take it one step at a time from there, and that’s what we’ve been doing now.”

He was asked if his retirement had made him more inclined to be cautious about returning to work before he was ready.

“No, that didn’t change her at all,” Gronkowski said. “I just talk to the team, the team crew is here, and me, I just see where I’ve been. We have a plan and it’s two practice runs under my belt this week and continue from there. Only when I’m 100 per cent ready to go. We’re all on the same page here.”

Gronkowski, who has twice said the “arrow pointing up” in the direction of play (coach Bruce Arians said the same), said his back is currently in good shape.

“I mean, I definitely had a lot of back problems,” Gronkowski said. “I mean, it’s not like it’s hidden. I mean, everyone knows it. I’ve had some back surgeries. Missed a few times with her. So I would say, you just have to be careful with the things I do. With the kind of rehab I do and all the Something like that and also be aware of it when you come back and it’s worth noting. That’s it really. I mean, other than that, I mean, I think it’s good to go.”

His presence can make a real difference. He had two touchdowns in each of his first two games of the season, before suffering an injury that made him feel like he had been shot.