Getty Image
A few years ago, New England Patriots tight end and human labrador retriever Rob Gronkowski revealed he hadn’t spent a single cent of the money that he’d made playing in the NFL, opting to save his salary and rely on his various endorsements and investments to support him— like the Ice Shaker, a vacuum-sealed protein mixer he pitched with his brother when they played Alex Rodriguez in a game of flip cup on Shark Tank. However, having a $54 million contract to fall back on means he can afford to have at least a little bit of fun, which he appears to be doing with his latest business venture.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Gronk has purchased a stake in a three-year-old horse named “Gronkowski” ahead of its appearance at the Kentucky Derby on May 5th (the colt is currently listed as a 30-1 longshot, but the official odds won’t be set until the race’s post positions are finalized).
Based on his comments, it seems like Gronkowski isn’t overly concerned with the return on the investment and looks at it as more of an opportunity to diversify his portfolio and expand his horizons. He said “It will be a new experience. Hopefully it will be something I like. I like new hobbies.”
With that said, Gronk is no stranger to Churchill Downs. A few years ago, he flew out to Louisville on a private jet with a few of his Patriots teammates and rocked the outfit you’d expect Rob Gronkowski to wear to the Kentucky Derby. While it doesn’t seem he’s planning to retire despite early reports that he might hang up his cleats to start acting, I would love to live in a world where he becomes a horse racing mogul when his playing days are up.