Rob Gronkowski made an appearance at Gillette Stadium yesterday, but it wasn't anything to do with football. The Patriots TE appeared in full motocross gear to talk about a Monster Energy Supercross event and was clearly using avoidance tactics when he asked about his future in the NFL. “My status is doing really great. I’ve been riding dirt bikes. I’ve been training really hard. I can vroom vroom really good. I can ride that bike like no other,” he said.Not the answer the Patriots organisation or its fans would want to hear, despite his obvious tongue in cheek tone. 

When asked if he would be appearing at the Patriots optional workouts, he again declined to answer in a serious manner, saying: “No, I’ve got dirt biking skills to work on.”.

You've got to think Bill Belichick is sitting in his office watching this and just cursing at his TV as Gronk continues to play the fool in an infuriating manner. 

Though he was (probably) kidding about dirt bikes being higher on his priority list than attending the team's OTA's, it is becoming increasingly worrying for the Pats that he hasn't committed his future to football. 

But, he is also not committing himself to retirement; “It depends how my racing skills go today,” he joked when asked if he was considering stepping away from the game at the age of 28.

The one thing he did seem to answer sincerely was regarding his passion for bikes: 

“(I’m) not dirt biking or anything. Sometimes four-wheelers, but not all the time now,” he said. “When I was growing up it was all the time. We used to do it every day. Now, just once in a while. Not too much. I’m not hitting the jumps.”

The appearance did little in terms of clarifying the five-time All Pro's future, and will only add more fuel to the rumours that he might choose to step away from the game. Those rumours have been floating around ever since the Patriots 41-33 loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LII, after which Gronk said he would seriously consider his playing future.

“I’m definitely gonna look at my future, for sure,” he said back on February 4. “I’ll sit down in the next couple of weeks and see where I’m at.”.

His offseason schedule has involved countless bizarre public appearances as per usual, but there have been more and more rumours regarding his desire to pursue other avenues in life going around and it wouldn't be surprising if we didn't see the dominant pass catcher in a Patriots uniform again.