Rob Gronkowski 'Felt Great' In Return To Practice

BOSTON (CBS) -- Rob Gronkowski's mysterious absence is over.

The All-Pro tight end was suited up and active for Monday's OTA session at Gillette Stadium for his first public appearance on the practice field this spring.

"It felt great. It's always good to be out there with your teammates, working with your teammates in individual drills, team drills, just being out there, getting on the same page, just getting into flow with them. It's always good to get back out on the field," Gronk said after Monday's practice.

Previously, Gronkowski had not been present for the Patriots' OTA sessions open to the media and for minicamp last week, with reports surfacing that he was nursing a minor, non-serious injury.

Yet considering his ambiguous tweet earlier this offseason about his contract activated many folks' radars in New England, speculation swirled (albeit not too vigorously) that he was protesting the practice sessions as part of a campaign to get a new contract.

But for now, at least, that doesn't appear to be an issue for Gronkowski.

"I was just doing other things, as Coach [Bill Belichick] said last week, so everything's good," Gronkowski said of last week's absences. "We were just working on other things so everything's all smooth, everything's good."

Also of note was the presence of Dion Lewis, who suffered a torn knee midseason last year but is on pace to be healthy for the start of the season.

Zolak & Bertrand On Gronk, Lewis' Return:

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• Rob Gronkowski
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