New Iowa QB Mark Gronowski to undergo surgery after playing through ‘common football-related injury’

IOWA CITY — Iowa’s newest addition to the quarterback room is not quite ready to take the field as a Hawkeye.

Ex-South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski will undergo surgery “in the coming weeks” after playing through an injury last season, the team said Friday afternoon in a press release announcing the team’s transfer additions. As a result, he will “not begin on-field team workouts until June.”

It is a “common football-related injury,” Kirk Ferentz said in a statement without going into more specifics.

“While he could have continued to play through the injury, Mark is choosing to have a procedure to address the issue, and we support him in his decision,” Ferentz said. “Our sports medicine team thoroughly reviewed his records and has confidence he will be fully rehabbed in time to participate in our summer program.”

That appears to rule Gronowski out from the Hawkeyes’ 15 spring practices. Ferentz said in his statement that Gronowski will “participate in all non-practice team activities while he recovers.”

Iowa’s other quarterbacks on campus for the spring include Music City Bowl starter Brendan Sullivan, walk-on Jackson Stratton, Auburn transfer Hank Brown and incoming freshman Jimmy Sullivan.

Gronowski signed with the Hawkeyes this week after four years as the starting quarterback at South Dakota State. He led the Jackrabbits to two FCS national championships and was the 2023 recipient of the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top offensive player at the FCS level.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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