Funkerstation » MCL last Dec. 8, is a two-time Pro Bowler and

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Star tight end Rob Gronkowski stood in front of his Gillette Stadium locker Monday and announced he will be playing in the New England Patriots opener at Miami this Sunday. Meanwhile, the news hardly caught the Dolphins by surprise. "Im super excited," said Gronkowski, who didnt play in any of the four preseason games as he completed his recovery from December right knee surgery. "I wont have to see my teammates grind all week - (Ill) go back out there with them, get in the huddle, break the huddle with them. "Its going to be an honour to be back out there with my teammates. Super pumped, super excited and just preparing for the game." The pronouncement came as a bit of a surprise in a locker room not known for players "breaking news." "Yeah, yeah, Im just getting it out of the way there," Gronkowski said. "Every single day this week (he would have been asked about returning) - get it out of the way now." "It just feels good in my mind to know that Ill be out there with my boys, working hard, grinding with them, being out there." The Patriots are 6-0 all-time when Gronkowski plays against the Dolphins, but Miami has kept him in some check of late. Gronkowskis last two games against Miami resulted in a total of only four catches. Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said his team was "fully prepared" for a Gronkowski sighting. "Hes an excellent player," Philbin said Monday. "Hes been a very very productive player throughout his career. Well have a good plan in place, but hes certainly an important part of their offence, and a productive part of it. Well be ready for him, for sure." Gronkowski, who tore his right ACL and MCL last Dec. 8, is a two-time Pro Bowler and was an All-Pro in 2011. He has 226 catches with 42 touchdowns in 50 regular-season games. Last season, coming off multiple surgeries and an arm infection, he appeared in seven games, catching 39 passes, four for touchdowns, before going down on a hit by safety T.J. Ward, then of the Cleveland Browns. Asked if he feels ready, Gronkowski said, "Definitely. I feel mentally and physically ready, for sure, no doubt about it." "Just the way we just worked throughout all camp and the last few weeks, everythings just been going well," Gronkowski added. "Theres been no setbacks, just more and more (work) every single day. "Now I just have to focus on the Miami Dolphins, just keep focusing on getting better and getting stronger." Dolphins defensive co-ordinator Kevin Coyle said hes been working under the assumption Gronkowski would be ready for Week 1. "Hes also been a big target for them in the red zone," Coyle said. "If he plays, and how much he plays, we dont know how much that will be, thats not going to change what we do." Gronkowski says he doesnt expect to play "every single snap" Sunday, but is ready for "whatever the coaches have." "Its been long and tiring for sure," he said. "But you just got to be patient and everything comes along well. Thats the way Ive been - just keep working hard and it will all come." Last week, the Patriots traded veteran guard Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay for tight end Tim Wright, who has been added to provide depth. "So far, hes been working hard. Its been great seeing him improving every single day, learning everything, and its always fun with a new guy that wants to work hard," Gronkowski said. NOTES: WR Josh Boyce, cut Saturday, was one of 10 players signed to the taxi squad, a list that includes DL Charley Hughlett, who is being signed for the second time as a long snapper after the release of Danny Aiken. DE-LB Rob Ninkovich is currently the only long snapper on the roster. ... Also re-signed were DL Jake Bequette, LBs JaGared Davis and Deontae Skinner, S Kanorris Davis, RB Jonas Gray, OL Chris Martin and DB Daxton Swanson. The club also added quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, last with San Francisco. ------ AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Davie, Fla. contributed to this story. Baker Mayfield Browns Jersey . - Even with a new coach, the Denver Nuggets still love to push the basketball. Joe Thomas Womens Jersey . - Diego Fagundez scored his team-leading 13th goal of the season in the 76th minute to lift the Revolution to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday night that kept New Englands playoff hopes alive. http://www.footballbrownsnflprostore.com...n-Elite-Jersey/. As if he had been rehearsing it, Vasquez looked around with a grimacing stare as he clinched two fists and flexed his muscles. What do you think of DeMar DeRozans face after he hits a big shot, he was asked moments earlier. Jim Brown Jersey . After Mondays comments by Coach Claude Noel that its work first and skill second, and that more “A” games are needed, the Jets responded with a 47-shot effort. If not for terrific goaltending by Braden Holtby the Jets would have had two points in regulation. Jim Brown Youth Jersey . Curlings version of the Ryder Cup will introduce a new format beginning with the 2015 event, set for Jan. 8 to 11 in Calgary, as itll be Team Canada taking on Team Europe this season and in the 2017 event, while itll be Team Canada against Team World (including the U.Such a promising start was wiped away so quickly. After opening the scoring, the Winnipeg Goldeyes (45-28) watched the Sioux City Explorers (32-42) do much of the rest of the scoring in a 10-3 loss Sunday night at Lewis and Clark Park in Iowa. Despite the loss, which drops Winnipegs record to 2-3 since the all-star break, the Goldeyes remain 3 ½ games up on the St. Paul Saints for first place in the American Associations North Division after the Saints lost to the Kansas City T-Bones. “We need to start pitching the ball better if were going to start winning some (consecutive) ballgames,” Goldeyes pitching coach Jamie Vermilyea said on the Jewel 101 post-game show. Winnipeg grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Brock Bond scored on a Reggie Abercrombie fielders choice and Donnie Webb doubled in Josh Mazzola. After that though, the Explorers scored once in the bottom of the first, twice in the second and twice in the third off Goldeyes starter Jon Sintes, who was making his American Association debut. Sioux City then pulled away with five runs off reliever Taylor Sewitt in the sixth inning. “You have to stay away from those crooked numbers as best you can,” Verrmilyea said.dddddddddddd “If you allow your opponent to put up those crooked numbers, its going to be tough to win.” Abercrombie scored the games last run in the top of the eighth after doubling, going to third on a wild pitch and coming home on a Webb ground out. Mazzola and Webb paced the Goldeyes with two hits each, while Webb had two RBI. Winnipeg failed to cash in on plenty of opportunities, as the visitors left 10 men on base, including nine in scoring position. Sintes suffered the loss after giving up five runs on 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings of work. He didnt issue a walk and struck out three. “All of his pitches move a lot,” Vermilyea said of his starter. “There were a couple infield hits and bloopers that would have been nice to have been outs, but thats the way it goes sometimes.” Explorers reliever Alex Burnett worked three innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. The second game of the four-game series goes Monday night in Sioux City. Matt Jackson (8-5, 3.96) will take the ball for Winnipeg against Sioux Citys Alex Caldera (0-1, 6.35). The pre-game show on Jewel 101 (100.7 FM) with Steve Schuster begins at 6:30 p.m. Game time is 7 p.m. ' ' '