Gronkowski to have back surgery

No stranger to the operating table, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has a June date to have back surgery.

This will be the fifth surgery for Gronkowski since November. He had a fourth operation on May 20 to install a plate in his broken left forearm that he fractured in November.

Gronkowski is expected to miss the start of training camp He has had disk issues dating to last season and he recently had an MRI.

Aaron Hernandez and Jake Ballard, who was claimed off waivers from the New York Giants, are expected to step up and fill the void while Gronkowski recovers.