of action for eight weeks. >> gronkowski can't make the grab. he was hit and he is injured. >>reporter: it is familiar territory for the greatest tight end in nfl history whose medical file is equal to his talent. >> rob gronkowski is hurt. >>reporter: gronkowski has had surgeries on his knee, forearm, ankle and back during his pro career and has played a full 16 games just twice in his seven nfl seasons. so the injury believed to be up to eight weeks. now, if we look at the timetable, the patriots have five games remaining, then two weeks in the play offs. the eighth game would fall on the afc championship. to be more realistic, best case scenario for gronkowski's return would be the super bowl if the patriots can even manage to get there. >> funny you mention the super bowl because how will the surgery impact the patriot's super bowl hopes. let's get to jonathan hall live at the stadium with more on the impact for this team. john.

bowl chances, but they go by the "do your job, next man up philosophy" and they are determined to keep stacking up the wins over the next few weeks, all the way to the super bowl in houston. the patriots on the field prepping for the los angeles rams. the loss of a star player no doubt hits hard, but it is football, gronkowski or no gronkowski they say they are ready. >> we are going to go out there every single week. next man up mentality. you know, there is a lot of weapons on well together so whoever is out there we are going to go out there and play with whoever it is. >>reporter: news of gronkowski's injury broke after reporters had access to the players, but i happened to speak with bennett, the other top tight end of the team and i asked him, how does your mission change when gronkowski isn't playing. >> i mean, i been doing the same thing all year so my job is my job. >>reporter: i'm not asking you for the game plan but -- >> not for me.

report was released about an hour ago. it only shows gronkowski didn't practice due to his back, which is an understatement and has bennett with limited participation. he's been dealing with a nagging ankle injury. >> i have to make sure i'm ready to play. i can only control what is going over my body. cut my grass before i cut someone else's. >>reporter: you feel good? >> i feel good. it is a good time. i'm excited about another chance to compete and go out there this week. >>reporter: all eyes podium tomorrow. coach belichick will be there. he is not big on commenting on injuries. we expect it to be more like we are on to los angeles. >> this will be gronkowski's third back surgery. we spoke with an orthopedic doctor at an area hospital and we have more on what gronkowski is facing. >>reporter: we just got through talking with the chief of

the hospital, so this is right in his wheel house. he says herniated discs are actually quite common. >> this is exactly what a herniat herniated disc looks like. >>reporter: for the average person a herniated disc is not the end of the world. >> it is a pretty routine and common type of injury and i would say for most patient, for most meme who have this, it is a condition, not an injury. >>reporter: since this will be rob gronkowski's third there could be cause for additional concern. >> if this is a whole brand new hernia, this is a bread and butter straightforward index surgery and should be no different than any other. if it is the same disc that's been injured and operated now for the third time, it may mean something a little worse over time. >>reporter: the doctor has treated some patriots players

herniated disc surgeries. i asked him how difficult it is for a pro football player to come back from an injury like this. >> after this injury or condition, with or without surgery, a high percentage of nfl football players actually will get back to full play so it is not only not unheard of for him to come back. it would be considered more likely than not that he would return to full play. >>reporter: now, the doctor says if the goes well also, he says it is possible that gronkowski could be back in time to play in the super bowl if the patriots get there. that is the latest -- as you can imagine, pats fans not too happy about this news. some expressed their d disappointment to us.

team to the super bowl, now the future seems more uncertain. there is a dark cloud looming over the stadium today as word spreads that gronkowski needs pack back surgery and won't be playing for some time. pats fans are concerned for two reasons. first, that the 27-year-old football player will be okay and recover. and second, that his absence doesn't impact the rest of season. >> team. he is there for us. it is not a good thing. we are going to be in trouble. >>reporter: some stocking up on gronkowski gear in time for sunday, now wondering if there is a better place to put their money. >> it is not good for the team or my fantasy football and maybe they'll give me a discount on the shirt. >>reporter: while no one seemed to expect this turn of events, gronkowski is prone to injuries. >> they need to wrap him up in bubble wrap to put him out on the field. always getting hurt, always falling on himself.

he'll be back an better than ever. >> i'm still supporting gronkowski. you have to. he is great. >>reporter: and fans say the coach always has backup players and they are putting their trust and faith in that. and we'll continue to follow the story an bring you the latest on gronkowski's injury as we get it. when we are not on the air head to whdh.com and you can get updates on our 7 news mobile an tablet apps, too. let's talk weather. so nice and sunny today, especially a great change after all that much-needed rain. here is a little weather trivia. today marks the first day of meteorological winter. let's check in with jr. >>reporter: nice start, with temperatures reaching the mid and upper 50s. there is the power house storm from the rain the last couple days. it's slammed on the brakes and will sit there tonight and through the day tomorrow. there is another cold front attached to that storm. the main front is offshore. this is what came through the last few days with the

as the southern cold front moves through tomorrow night and through southern new england through the weekend it will usher in cooler air. there won't be a bag of rain on the way. you can see temperatures in southern new england, upper 40s, low 50s. southern canada, yes, there is some chillier air. and that is on the move. right now winds out of the west at 10 to 15 miles per hour. overnight tonight, partly cloudy skies. we are back into the sunshine tomorrow. a little cooler tomorrow. and then it is colder for the weekend. we'll detail that portion of the forecast in a f there is some breaking news out of lawrence. police find a body near the merrymac river. you can see there, police sirens, boats searching the water this afternoon where they found the body. police are working to identify the person and cause of death. we have a crew headed on the ground there now and we'll bring you more information as we get it. courtroom drama. the arraignment for a brockton man charged with murdering his

uncooperative outside the courtroom before proceedings began. we are live in brockton to learn more. >>reporter: an abrupt start to the arraignment here at brockton district court. late this morning, tense moments in the courtroom before the teen suspect who graduated from brockton high six months ago was charged with stabbing his mother to death. court officers scramble into the prison holder area in brockt was being uncooperative, moments before he answers to charges he murdered his mother. >> charged with murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. a plea of not guilty was entered. >>reporter: ducking out of view from the cameras, frantz polynice pleaded not guilty to stabbing his mother to death monday afternoon.

coverd in blood. inside the house the police found the victim laying face down in the living room. >>reporter: outside the crime scene a small memorial to his mother, who worked overnights at milton hospital as a nurse. >> she was a nice woman. quiet. hard worker. >>reporter: polynice's grandmother told police the teen was depressed and hadn't been eating our drinking since dropping out of nursing school this fall. him back to haiti with an aunt due to strange behavior. he refused to go and got upset about losing money on the plane ticket. >> after school they'd come home, play their music, play video games. just so sad. >>reporter: held without bail. polynice who had no criminal record up until now, is due back here at the courthouse later this month.

crews still cleaning up in chinatown after that massive water main break yesterday. all roads in the boston neighborhood are back open because crews worked through the night to clean up the mess after a major water transmission line ruptured yesterday morning. the cause of the initial break is still under investigation. still to come here on 7 news, we are continuing to follow breaking news. tight end rob gronkowski is set for back surgery patriots? our team 7 coverage continues later in sports. >>reporter: after the break tgs boston city hall plaza getting a festive makeover and when you can visit a winder wonderland,

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city hall plaza being wonderlands. this extrav extravaganza will feature outdoor ice skating and a plaza full of vendors. >>reporter: in boston we know winter, but the city has never seen anything quite like this. >> it seems like a really exciting thing for the city. >>reporter: the most wonderful time of the year taking over city hall plaza, for the first ever boston winter festival.

boston has needed something like this. it will be a lot of activity for people here in the downtown area. >>reporter: bob brown one of the many local vendors, hard at work setting up the holiday shopping market. it will be open through new year's eve. >> i think there is a buzz about it. people are coming in, looking to see what is going on. i'm really excited. >> it is great to see something happening, central and in the holiday season. >>reporter: there will also be a custom 11,000 square foot outdoor skating path, open until february. and there is plenty of attractions like wine and chocolate exhibits. >> i think it will help put people in the spirit for the lol days. >> it looks like there will be no shortage of fun here. the grand opening tomorrow at 3:00 right here at city hall plaza. make sure to check it out. in boston, 7 news. >> are we going? >> i was just saying during a story, we have to check that out one night. let's look at the forecast to see when a nice, warm -- >> do we need our hat and

like this. >>reporter: not too shabby tonight. some of you want cooler air for the forecast and that is in the forecast, up next. not good news for the 35i9 patriots. rob gronkowski in a bit of an injury situation. could be out for up to eight weeks. we are going to run through all

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. >>reporter: first of december, average high, 46. average low, 33. warmest it's ever been, 76 back in 1998. 17 below, 1933. normally we do see snow in the city of boston, month of december. the normal amount of snow is about nine several years, very paltry. only in 2013 offers above normal snow and looking at some of the tea leaves i would lean on a number probably closer to what we should see versus what we have seen. certainly, these last two years only -- i should say less than 1" of snow, each of those two decembers. i did not find a time when we had three consecutive decembers for boston that offered less than 1" of snow.

upcoming december. nothing right now. here is the big storm that blasted through new england with a lot of beneficial rain. boston at 1.7" of rain. it was mild today with the sunshine. temps bounced into the mid 50s. right now holding into the low r50s. the wind will fade away into the evening hours. fair amount of winds out there, cool but not tomorrow, a nice one. a mix of sun and clouds and sunshine, still breezy. cooler than today. the normal high is 46 so it is close to where we should be. a little above normal, boston south shore. the numbers in these locations, low 50s. north of town, upper 40s, low 50s. berry at 47. out on the to the cape and islands, breezy at times with partly to mostly sunny skies. nantucket, 52.

here tomorrow night and then gone on saturday morning so we are right back into the sunshine on saturday and again on sunday. that cold front does its thing. the weekend cooler than tomorrow. saturday low to mid 40s and sunday high temps only in the low 40s. patriots at home on sunday against the rams. that will feature lot of sun an cool. the high school football games on saturday also offering temps next week, chilly pattern, a lot of clouds and maybe isolated snow flurries possible monday morning. and now time for 7 sports. >>reporter: coming to you live tonight from just outside the stadium where it is safe to wonder if we have seen the last of rob gronkowski for this year. the tight end reportedly set to go under the night to repair a herniated disc in his back, an

he suffered the injury against the jets, not after getting blown up by thomas with the seahawks. he is required now to have a third surgery. it is a major concern for the patriotst. is major concern for the patriots moving forward. not sure what the protocol will be whenever he is out of that. it will be up to eight weeks. i believe we have locker room reaction we are trying to go to right now. >> i just have to make sure i'm ready to play. i can only control what is going over my body. cut my grass before i cut someone else's.

week, next man up mentality. there is a lot of weapons on this team. we play well together so whoever is out there we are going to go out there and play with whoever it is. >> over at the garden tonight, the bruins will be shorthanded on the blue line. no lisles or ochara against the hurricanes. they are trending in the right direction to rejoin the bruins here in the near future. the captain going through today's morning skate at war yore ice afterwards o'charra would be -- the bruins just 1-2-1 without charra. he feels the blue line has performed well in his absence. >> obviously we have a huge void but we have seen that we can get the job done. only two goals against philadelphia, two goals against calgary and we played well against tampa, one of the best offenses in the league. we are showing we can do the job.

but you simplify things and guys play within themselves and we can do it. >>reporter: bruins an hurricanes tonight. the big news of the day, all about gronkowski, a herniated disc in his back, undergoing surgery tomorrow in los angeles, a surgery that would sideline him for eight weeks, taking us to the afc championship game. 7 news at 6:00 will be

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