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          New England Patriots

          Rob Gronkowski: Happy to be out on the field playing football

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          Gronk gets head shaved for a good cause (1:16)

          To help raise awareness for One Mission Buzz Off, an event in which participants shave their heads in honor and support of kids with cancer, Patriot tight end Rob Gronkowski gets his head shaved and gives out a few haircuts. (1:16)

          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterJun 5, 2017, 05:00 AM ET
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Of the top storylines through five New England Patriots organized team activities, there arguably isn’t one greater than tight end Rob Gronkowski’s presence on the field for each workout.

          Coming off back surgery that cut short his 2016 season, he has practiced without restrictions.

          On Sunday, during a community appearance, he briefly touched on his health.

          “Super excited. It’s going super well,” he told reporters at Gillette Stadium after having his head shaved for the sixth straight year at the One Mission Buzz Off. “Being with the new teammates right now, working together, it’s awesome.”

          Gronkowski made a one-handed catch in the first week of practice, one reminder of his presence on the field. Prior to the team's third OTA, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said simply, “He looks like Gronk.” During that practice, Gronkowski celebrated after catching a touchdown pass from Tom Brady.

          The Patriots will hold their three-day mandatory minicamp this week from Tuesday to Thursday, and Gronkowski is looking forward to building on the foundation of the past two weeks.

          “You just have to always look at the positives,” he said. “Right now I’m feeling great. I’m feeling good out there with the team. We’re just at the stage right now, OTAs, offseason workouts, just getting to know each other, feeling it all out. Everything is going good. So I’m just happy to be where I am, happy to be out on the field playing football and participating.”