Gronkowski back at practice with Patriots

New England tight end Rob Gronkowski returned to practice Friday for the first time since he underwent surgery for a broken forearm in November.

Gronkowski sustained the injury on Nov. 18 in the Patriots' 59-28 victory over Indianapolis. He has missed New England's past three games while recovering.

The Patriots are preparing for their Sunday night matchup with San Francisco, but Gronkowski's availability for that game remains uncertain.

Before the injury, Gronkowski had caught 53 passes for 748 yards and 10 touchdowns.