Bill Belichick: Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski cleared for football

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick announced during a press conference tight end Rob Gronkowski has been cleared by doctors for football.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has been cleared by doctors for football, coach Bill Belichick announced during a press conference on Wednesday.

Gronkowski, who is recovering from a torn right ACL, will not be placed on the physically unable to perform list, according to Belichick.

Gronkowski said last week he expects to be ready for New England's Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 7.

Classic Photos of Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski

Bryan Smith/ZUMA Press

Since bursting onto the NFL scene, Rob Gronkowski has become one of the league's most popular stars. Whether posing shirtless with a porn star, posing on top of the Empire State Building or breaking various tight end records, the Patriots star is always up to something.

Rob Gronkowski

Courtesy of The Gronkowski Family

A three-year-old Gronk shows his athletic prowess in a ball pit.

Dan, Chris, Gordie, Rob, and Glenn Gronkowski

Courtesy of The Gronkowski Family

An eight-year-old Rob Gronkowski (bottom left) poses with his brothers (clockwise from left) Dan, Chris, Gordie and Glenn. In 2010, Chris, Dan and Rob became the first three brothers to play in the NFL at the same time since 1992.

Rob Gronkowski

Chris Morrison/USA Today Sports

Gronkowski first rose to prominence at Arizona, where he caught 28 passes for 525 yards and five touchdowns as a true freshman. The marks earned him Freshman All-America honors from The Sporting News and Rivals.com.

Rob Gronkowski

Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today Sports

Despite missing the first three games of his sophomore season, Gronkowski still grabbed 47 passes for 672 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns. He earned third-team AP All-America honors and was a first-team All-Pac 10 tight end.

Ndamukong Suh and<br> Rob Gronkowski

AP

Despite missing his junior season with a back injury, Gronkowski declared himself eligible for the 2010 NFL Draft. Here he jokes around with Ndamukong Suh during a youth football clinic days before the draft.

Rob Gronkowski

AP

The Patriots were thin at tight end entering the 2010 Draft and reportedly were close to swapping a second-round pick (No. 44 overall) for Bears tight end Greg Olsen. On draft day, however, Bill Belichick reversed course and traded two spots up to snag Gronkowski.

Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski and Alge Crumpler

Damian Strohmeyer/SI

Gronkowski couldn't have landed in a better spot than New England. He was paired with another rookie tight end, Aaron Hernandez, and the two combined for over 1,000 receiving yards during their first season. Much of the credit for their immediate success can be attributed to respected veteran Algee Crumpler, who helped nurture the two rookies and show them the nuances of life in the NFL.

Tampa Breeze

Doug Murray/Icon SMI

Of course, Gronkowski was still a 21-year-old rookie and wasn't shy about having fun. Here the tight end (white shirt, back center) poses with the Tampa Breeze before a Jan. 2010 Lingerie Football League game against the Miami Caliente.

Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski

AP

One of Gronkowski's biggest fans was his quarterback (and future Hall of Famer) Tom Brady. The Patriots leader took a quick liking to his newest weapon, throwing a touchdown pass to Gronkowski during the tight end's first NFL game.

Rob Gronkowski

AP

It didn't take long for Gronkowski to have an impact in the NFL. During the preseason, he was one of three NFL players to score four touchdowns. In a Week 10 victory over Pittsburgh, he became the youngest NFL rookie to catch three touchdown passes and the first New England rookie to accomplish that feat in franchise history.

Rob Gronkowski and<br> Troy Polamalu

Damian Strohmeyer/SI

Gronkowski showed no signs of letdown his sophomore season. He caught five touchdown passes in the first three games of the season. At 6-foot-6, 265 pounds, Gronkowski quickly developed a reputation as one of the NFL's most difficult players to tackle. Just ask Steelers All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu.

Rob Gronkowski and Bibi Jones

@robgronkowski

While some players use the bye week to relax and let their bodies heal, Gronkowski used his to spend time with Bibi Jones. The adult film star tweeted out this photo of her and the shirtless Patriots tight end in late October 2011.

Rob Gronkowski

Damian Strohmeyer/SI

Gronkowski has become famous for his post-touchdown spike, throwing the ball as hard as he can into the ground. In November 2011, however, he got carried away and was penalized 15 yards and fined $7,500 for spiking the ball at Jets cornerback Donald Strickland after beating him on a play.

Dan and Rob Gronkowski

Geoff Bolte/Southcreek/ZUMAPRESS.com

New Englanders got a double dose of Gronkwoski in 2011 as Dan, Rob's older brother, was signed to the squad. Dan played played two games with the Patriots in September, was cut and the re-signed in early October before being cut again in early November.

Patriots Fans

David Butler II/USA Today Sports

With his production on the field and fun-loving demeanor off it, Gronkowski has quickly become a favorite among Patriots fans.

Rob Gronkowski

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Gronkowski received a hero's welcome from the Boston crowd while attending a Bruins-Canadiens game in December 2011.

Rob Gronkowski

Gronkowski was at his best on Jan. 15, 2011, catching 10 balls for 145 yards and a record-tying three touchdowns as the Patriots blew out the Broncos, 45-10, in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Rob Gronkowski

Al Bello/Getty Images

With five catches for 87 yards, Gronkowski had another productive game in the 2011 AFC Championship Game. The big concern for Patriots fans, however, came after "Gronk" was tackled by Bernard Pollard, causing the tight end to suffer a high ankle sprain.

Rob Gronkowski

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

"What would Super Bowl week be like without an ankle injury to obsess over?" SI.com's Don Banks asked in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. And obsess they did, as the status of Gronkowski's injury became one of the main talking points ahead of Super Bowl XLVI.

Rob Gronkowski

Bill Frakes/SI

Although Gronkowski said he was "100 percent" during Super Bowl XLVI, his play begged to differ. He made two catches during the game and notably was not able to made a diving catch of a would-be game-winning Hail Mary pass. To be fair though, that would have been a tough catch for any player.

Rob Gronkowski

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

After signing the largest contract extension ever for a tight end (six years, $54 million), Gronkowski went back to business for the Patriots in the 2012 season. He scored 10 touchdowns and averaged 74.8 yards per game through the first 10 games of the season.

Rob Gronkowski

Al Bello/Getty Images

The final third of the 2012 season did not go as well for Gronkowski, as he missed five games after breaking his forearm in November. He returned for the regular season finale and played in the Patriot's AFC Divisional Playoff game vs. the Texans. During that game, Gronkowski reinjured his forearm while landing following this catch, an injury that put him out for the rest of the season and required him to get more surgery. The Patriots learned in mid-May that he needed back surgery as well.

Danny Amendola and<br> Rob Gronkowski

Stephan Savoia/AP

Gronk, his teammates and fans eagerly await his return in 2013. It was reported Friday (Oct. 18) that the Pro Bowl tight end has been cleared by doctors to play Sunday against the Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Before the injury, Gronkowski had 592 receiving yards and four touchdowns in seven games last season. Injuries have limited him to 18 games the past two seasons after he played in all 16 games in each of his first two seasons.

More: Offseason Report Card: Patriots | New England training camp dates, location

- Paul Palladino