The fractured arm suffered by Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski on Sunday was not identical to the original fracture he suffered November 18, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
Since the injury, speculation has been that Gronkowski was rushed back and that his injured left arm wasn't ready for contact. The source says the current injury "had nothing to do with whether the arm was ready or not."
Instead, Gronkowski's arm broke at the end of the protective plate that was implanted in his arm. Gronkowski sustained the new injury when he went hard to the ground while diving for a pass against the Houston Texans in the first quarter of the Patriots AFC Divisional Playoff game.
There will always be a risk to the area at the end of the plate, the source explained, because of a "collection of stress." The injury could have occurred "three years from now" in the same spot, said the source.
Gronkowski's original break, it was noted, has fully healed and was intact when surgery was performed Monday to address the new injury.
Here is a representation of a protective plate to help illustrate the dynamic that led to the new injury.