The Facts: Gronkowski said he would continue to get treatment on his injured ankle but denied he needed surgery.

Diehards Line:Gronkowski insisted that his sprained left ankle was fine last night despite mountains of evidence to the contrary. He patiently repeated that he was “100 percent’’ and “good to go’’ several times when asked whether the injury limited him. But Gronkowski was all but invisible in the Super Bowl, catching two passes for the Patriots in a 21-17 loss against the Giants. Gronkowski, who suffered the high ankle sprain in the AFC Championship game against Baltimore two weeks ago, was slow getting off the ball and did not have his usual ability to make cuts and lose defenders. Gronkowski wore a cleat with extra support and played with his ankle heavily taped. He was on the field for 45 of the Patriots’ 62 plays (72.6 percent), his lowest percentage of plays on the season. The coaches and medical staff closely monitored him throughout pregame warmups. He was on the field to start the game and played all but a handful of snaps in the first half. “It was fine,’’ Gronkowski said. “I wasn’t limited. I was in no pain at all.’’ But Tom Brady marveled at the idea of Gronkowski being on the field at all. “He played his butt off,’’ Brady said. “He fought. It was hard to believe he could play the game the way he was feeling. He toughed it out. He was great for us all season. ... "Gronkowski's 17 touchdown receptions during the regular season were the most for a tight end in NFL history.