Camille Kostek has candidly shared some of the challenges that come with dating professional athletes.
The Sports Illustrated model, age 33, revealed that she faced judgment from other NFL wives for not marrying her boyfriend, Rob Gronkowski, age 36, a former NFL tight end.
“I didn’t have a ring on my finger, so I felt like I was considered less of a girlfriend than my girlfriends,” she explained during an episode of Christine Cavalari’s “A Honestly Kavalari: Headline Tour.”
“But here’s the funny part—the woman I judged the most ended up getting divorced,” she added, reflecting on her experiences.
Representatives for Kostek did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Kostek first connected with Gronkowski in 2015, after meeting in 2013 when she was a cheerleader and he was in his third season with the New England Patriots.
“Rob and I met when we were 21; we’ve been in each other’s lives for a decade,” she shared.
“We broke up for the first time in 2017, but I think some of the best changes in my life came from that breakup, which shifted my perspective. I didn’t mind dating at the time; I felt almost asexual,” she noted.
Kostek mentioned that she chose to focus on her dreams following a heartbreak.
“That year, I decided to audition for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue—something that was on my bucket list. I wanted to pursue what brought me joy. There were so many ambitions I had,” she expressed.
Wives and girlfriends, often referred to as “WAGs,” represent their partners. In May 2024, she shared with Fox News Digital how NFL rules influenced her relationship with Gronkowski.
“There’s that rule,” she told them then. “But in the end, it was worth it.”
“We keep track of each other’s schedules,” she laughed, mentioning that they don’t always spend every moment together. “It’s exciting to get on the phone, and we often end up coordinating our calendars.”
She recalled a moment during her sister’s wedding in St. Thomas when they were enjoying the beach and realized they could plan around a Sports Illustrated swimsuit launch together. “It was a big deal,” she said, “and I thought, ‘perfect!'”
