For the first time since undergoing surgery on his torn ACL on Jan. 9, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski participated in full-team drills at practice on Monday.
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ESPN reports that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady connected with Gronkowski, one of his favorite targets the last four seasons when he's available, on the first play of his return to the field during drills Monday.
"It's definitely huge to get it going again," Gronkowski told reporters about his connection with Brady. "I've been working with Tom since I've been out here, but we haven't been doing it vs. the defense or anything. So it was good to be out there and 'Boom!' it was just like it was never missed before. He hit me."
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The pair would find each other again during the drill as Gronkowski was finally able to participate after trying to do so ever since training camp broke on July 24.
"You just can't jump right into 11-on-11 action," he said. "You have to do 1-on-1s, getting your body [in form], getting your legs underneath you all before that. So that's why it was good to do everything I was leading up to it, so when I went out there today, I felt like I was prepared and ready to go."
Gronkowski, 25, didn't have too much physical contact in his first day back to live action, but he intends to ramp up the physical play as the days go by and he gets more acclimated in his return.
The tight end is hopeful to play in the final two preseason games for the Patriots this year, which includes a home battle with the Carolina Panthers on Friday and a visit to the New York Giants on Aug. 28 to close out the exhibition slate.
"I just love playing the game of football, so whenever they let me have a chance, I definitely want to play," he said. "We're all on the same page. We'll see."
Gronkowski is hoping to play in all 16 games for New England this season for the first time since 2011. After being limited to just 11 games in 2012, Gronkowski participated in seven contests last season, amassing just 39 catches for 592 yards with four touchdowns.
New England finished with a 12-4 mark last year, winning the AFC East for the fifth straight season before falling to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
Gronkowski's health will give the Patriots -- who enter the season as the favorite to win the division crown for a sixth straight year -- a better shot at getting deeper in the postseason this year.
For now, Gronkowski is taking it slow and just happy to be back out on the field.
"Definitely a step forward with participating more and more," Gronkowski said. "It's doing well so far, no setbacks or anything. ... I'm having a blast competing back out there."
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