If you've been eyeing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' newest tight end, then I've got some bad news for you: Gronk is 100% off the market. The three-time Super Bowl champion has been dating his current girlfriend for nearly six years, and for those who aren't familiar with Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek's relationship timeline, it's really freakin' cute.
Gronkowski and Kostek first got together in 2015, soon after Gronk won his first Super Bowl with the New England Patriots and Kostek ended her two-year career as a Pats cheerleader. Though the two reportedly hit a speed bump in 2017, they've been looking totally loved-up ever since, even with all the career changes they've both faced. Over the past six years, Gronkowski has taken home two more Super Bowl titles, retired, and come back out of retirement to sign with the Buccaneers, while Kostek's modeling career has taken off in a big way. (Like, the cover of Sports Illustrated big.)
The key to their success: They take everything in stride. As Kostek told E! News in August 2020, she and Gronkowski have "no plans for the future other than a bright future." And their future certainly looks bright! Here's everything you should know about their adorable relationship.
According to Kostek, she and Gronkowski first "got in touch" after she resigned from the Patriots cheerleading team, which was in March 2015. As she explained to Fox News during a March 2018 interview, "I always knew who he was before I was even a cheerleader. I knew who he was on the roster. I just never paid any mind. Once I resigned is when we finally met."
By April 2015, TMZ broke the news of Kostek and Gronkowski's rumored new relationship, and soon after, Kostek opened up about the budding romance during an interview with the Inside Track radio show. "We've recently gone on a couple of dates and do enjoy talking to each other," she said. "But him and I both have super busy schedules. I'm working all the time, he's traveling a lot, but he's been super supportive of everything I've been doing."
Though Gronkowski made his first appearance on Kostek's IG grid in August 2015, she made their relationship status undeniable after she posted a loved-up black-and-white shot of her and her man in September, which she captioned, "friday night date night 🌹."
"You can tell they really enjoy being with each other," a source for People reportedly claimed at the time. "They both have a great sense of humor and feed off each other really well."
Gronkowski and Kostek went to the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards as a couple in July 2016, which was the first time they attended a major event together.
In February 2017, reports emerged claiming Gronkowski and Kostek had broken up, per TMZ. However, just a few months later in May 2017, Kostek attended a wedding as Gronkowski's date, and soon after, she finally addressed the breakup rumors during an interview with the New York Post. "I've quickly learned that everyone has their own two cents, and I just kind of let that stuff roll and let the people talk," she said. "At the end of the day, the people that matter know what's the truth."
After nearly three years with Kostek, Gronkowski finally began to let fans into his relationship. In May 2018, the footballer posted a pic of him and Kostek together in Jamaica while celebrating his birthday, which was the first time Kostek appeared on his grid. Since then, both Gronkowski and Kostek have posted pics of each other more frequently (and I'm v thankful they have).
While quarantining together amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Kostek shared details about her relationship and how it had been affected by quarantine. "It has definitely brought us closer and we've learned a lot about each other and it's been pretty cool," Kostek told Us Weekly in April 2020. She even hinted that marriage may be in the future. "...he's my best friend, so I wouldn't mind being his partner for life," she added. "I mean, I kind of already feel like that's what we are."
Soon after, the couple experienced a major life change when Gronkowski came out of retirement to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The two relocated down to Florida, and I'm totally loving this journey for them. Here's hoping these two continue to be each other's biggest cheerleaders.
