The New England Patriots are set to face off against the New York Jets this afternoon in Week 11 NFL action. Heading into today’s action, the status of star tight end Rob Gronkowski has been unknown. Thankfully for the Patriots, it sounds like Gronkowski is ready to suit up and play.

According to a report from Adam Schefter of ESPN, Gronkowski is expected to play against the Jets after missing three of the past four games for the Patriots.

Outside of his injury news, Gronkowski has been mentioned in quite a few rumors. Many are beginning to believe that this season will be his last year with the Patriots. Others think that he could end up retiring after the 2018 season.

Live and breathe the NFL?

🚨 Get viral NFL graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter.

There were reports during the offseason that the Patriots tried to trade Gronkowski. One report that went viral was that the Patriots and Detroit Lions were close to agreeing to a trade that sent the tight end to Michigan, but he didn’t want any part of it. Instead, he threatened to retire if he was traded and the deal fell through.

Gronkowski has played in seven games this season with the Patriots. He has caught 29 passes for 448 yards and one touchdown.

Needless to say, his role in New England is not as big as it once was. Gronkowski has only caught one touchdown this season, with that touchdown coming all the way back in Week 1.

New England appears to be one of the legitimate Super Bowl contenders once again this season in the AFC. They will have some tough competition from the Kansas City Chiefs and a couple of other teams, but the Patriots are always tough to beat come playoff time.