Bill Belichick hints Patriots could get Danny Woodhead back

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Who says Bill Belichick doesn't talk about injuries?

Well, sometimes. It depends.

The New England Patriots coach confirmed reports Monday that Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski is lost for the playoffs with a re-fractured left forearm. Then Belichick surprisingly opened up during a conference call when asked for an update on running back Danny Woodhead, who suffered a thumb injury on New England's first snap on Sunday against the Houston Texans and didn't return.

Bottom line: Belichick hasn't ruled Woodhead out for Sunday's AFC title game rematch against the Baltimore Ravens.

"Danny was examined and back on the sideline for the remainder of the game," Belichick said. "Had we needed to use him, he would have been available to go back in there.

"Now that we are into a new week, we will re-address the whole situation and try to get a good feel of what he would and wouldn't be available to do and how functional he would be doing it. So I would say that's something we'll have to look at during the week. Assuming the doctors clear him to play, which is a medical decision, then the next situation would be from a football decision, what can he do and how well can he do it? What is he, and (what are) we, comfortable with him doing in this week's game/game-plan. That would all be determined at a later point in time."

Woodhead was essentially replaced by Shane Vereen, who scored three touchdowns and tallied 124 yards from scrimmage during the 41-28 victory against the Texans.

Making up for the loss of Gronkowski, though, will be more challenging.

It's also more challenging to get Belichick to expound on the circumstances related to Gronkowski's re-injury.

When asked about the risk of Gronkowski returning late in the season after missing five games, Belichick flatly said, "I covered that yesterday. He was cleared by the doctors."

Pressed further on the subject, Belichick said: "I have nothing to add."

Follow Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell