Report: Rob Gronkowski needs back surgery, likely to miss part of training camp

Rob Gronkowski will undergo his fifth surgery since injuring his forearm last season. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will undergo another surgery on his back in mid-June, likely sidelining him for a portion of training camp, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com.

The Patriots anticipated Gronkowski would require the surgery after their record-breaking tight end experienced chronic back pain.

Gronkowski has undergone four surgeries on his left forearm since mid-November after injuring it during the 2012 season, then reinjuring it during the playoffs. The infection involved with those surgeries has cleared up, according to a Breer tweet.

Gronkowski previously underwent a 3-1/2-hour microdiscectomy to remove a small portion of his spine and relieve pressure on his sciatic nerve while at the University of Arizona.

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https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/339828624754606082