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Camille Kostek is discussing the less glamorous aspects of dating a professional athlete.
The 33-year-old Sports Illustrated model revealed she faced judgment from other NFL wives for not being married to her boyfriend, former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is 36.
“I felt like I was viewed as a lesser girlfriend because I didn’t have a ring on my finger,” she said on an episode of Kristin Cavallari’s “Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour,” as reported by US Weekly.
SI SWIMSUIT MODEL CAMILLE KOSTEK AND ROB GRONKOWSKI ARE ‘ALWAYS KEEPING BUSY’ AFTER HIS NFL RETIREMENT
Camille Kostek expressed feeling judged by NFL wives for not being married to Rob Gronkowski. (John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)
“Interestingly enough, the woman who judged me the most is now divorced,” she added.
Representatives for Kostek did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s request for a comment.
Kostek and Gronkowski were first connected in 2015 after initially meeting in 2013 when she was a cheerleader and he was in his third season with the New England Patriots.
Kostek and Gronkowski’s relationship began in 2015; they met in 2013 when she was a cheerleader and he played for the team. (Getty Images)
“Rob and I started dating when I was 21, and we’ve been part of each other’s lives for a decade,” she stated.
“We had our first breakup in 2017, but I believe that some of the most significant changes in my life came from that difficult breakup, which ultimately pushed me to focus on my goals. I felt indifferent to dating,” she reflected.
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Camille Kostek at the SI Swimsuit Runway show. (Getty Images)
Kostek shared she embraced her dreams following the heartbreak.
“That year, I decided to try out for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, which was on my bucket list. I wanted to follow my passions. I realized I had many ambitions to pursue, but dating an athlete often labeled me as just a WAG,” she explained.
WAG is an acronym for wives and girlfriends.
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The Sports Illustrated model mentioned that some NFL wives judged her relationship with Rob Gronkowski due to their unmarried status. (Denise Truscello/Getty Images for The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation)
In May 2024, Kostek revealed to Fox News Digital the NFL rule she broke to date Gronkowski.
“There’s a rule against dating players,” she informed Fox News Digital at the time. “I broke that rule but kept it a secret for a while. It all turned out to be worth it.”
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Kostek broke an NFL rule to pursue a relationship with Gronkowski. (Getty Images)
“We share our schedules with each other,” she laughed. “We don’t spend every minute together, so it’s exciting to coordinate.”
“It was during my sister’s wedding in St. Thomas. We were at the beach, and I said, ‘I have the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch, which is a big deal. I’ll be in New York the first half of the week and then in Miami.’ He replied, ‘Great, I have a podcast to record in New York. I’ll come for your event.’ And I thought, ‘Perfect!’”
Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
