Rob Gronkowski, Camille Kostek
Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek in 2022.
Camille Kostek got real about her 2017 split from Rob Gronkowski while appearing on Kristin Cavallari's Let's Be Honest podcast tour
During the sit-down, Kostek said that breaking up with the then-New England Patriots player led her to the "best moments" in her career, including her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut
Kostek and Gronkowski met in 2013 when she was cheering for the New England Patriots, for whom he was a tight end until 2018
Camille Kostek is her own biggest cheerleader, and it took a big decision in her relationship with her longtime partner, Rob Gronkowski, to recognize it.
Chatting with Kristin Cavallari on her podcast tour forLet's Be Honest, the model, 33, opened up about how her 2017 split from the retired football player led her to some of the "best moments" in her career.
Despite feeling "truly broken" from the breakup, Kostek said it encouraged her to move to Los Angeles, which led her to audition for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, one of her "bucket list" gigs. According to the magazine, she was named a co-winner of its 2018 Swim Search, one year before landing her own cover in 2019.
Rob Gronkowski (L) and Camille Kostek attend WrestleMania After Dark Las Vegas featuring Gronk Beach at LIV Beach Las Vegas on April 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Rob Gronkowski (L) and Camille Kostek attend WrestleMania After Dark Las Vegas featuring Gronk Beach at LIV Beach Las Vegas on April 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Some of the best things in my life came from this f------ breakup that broke me, but also allowed me to find who I am," said Kostek, adding that, after feeling "weighed" down by being labeled as a WAG, she discovered her "identity" again.
"I was able to find myself a little bit and just get in the zone. I didn't care about dating, I felt like I was, like, asexual. Like, no one excited me."
During the conversation, Kostek said she also feels "disassociated" from the term WAG, which is often used in relation to the wives and girlfriends of athletes. Dating a sports star "wasn't what I was looking to do. If anything I was kinda of scared off it," she revealed.
Kostek said that the time apart also benefited Gronkowski in a way. "I grew and he grew into people I don't think we would have been without the breakup," she said, noting that she was 21 and he was 24 when they started dating.
The two met at a Goodwill charity event in 2013 when they were filling turkey baskets for families in need. They went public with their romance in 2015.
Rob Gronkowski, Camille KostekRob Gronkowski, Camille Kostek
Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek at a Shaquille O'Neal Foundation event in 2022.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Now, the couple have a strong connection shown through their support for one another on the field and the red carpet. While they've yet to tie the knot, Kostek has said in a 2021 interview on SiriusXM's This Is Happening with Mark Zito and Ryan Sampson that she has a ring in mind, but, "I'm not the one who gets down on one knee, I'm supposed to be surprised."