Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski misses practice

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski did not practice on Wednesday, with the club specifying that he has a chest injury as a result of a hit by Seahawks safety Earl Thomas in Sunday night's 31-24 loss.

Gronkowski's absence highlights how his status for Sunday's road game against the 49ers is uncertain.

The Patriots will travel to the San Francisco Bay Area on Friday, one day earlier than the norm, which accelerates the timeline as it relates to Gronkowski's availability to join the team.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter has been told the injury is "not overly serious" and that Gronkowski does not have a punctured lung, as has been reported.

While Gronkowski was not at practice, he was at the team facility on Wednesday morning. His absence from practice left Martellus Bennett and Matt Lengel as the only tight ends on the field.

After Sunday's game, Gronkowski had relayed that he had the wind knocked out of him.

"Just down for about a minute of two. It's a little tough to breathe, but once it comes back, you're good," Gronkowski said of the hit by Thomas. "He hit me fair and square. It's football. You're going to get laid out eventually."

The two players also shared their mutual respect on Twitter.

On Tuesday, Gronkowski canceled an EA Sports media event scheduled for New York.

Also on Wednesday, quarterback Tom Brady, who took a big hit from Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor on Sunday night and later said he was sore, was not listed on the injury report.