Rob Gronkowski is sitting on a football-sized nest egg after his career in the NFL - but he's barely spent it. "To this day, technically I have not spent any of my NFL money," Gronkowski, 36, revealed on the Tuesday, December 30, episode of the "Bussin' With the Boys" podcast. The retired New England Patriots tight end pointed to his investments and initial signing deal as the main reason he hasn't touched his actual NFL salary. "[My agent] Drew Rosenhaus actually gave me a $50,000 upfront marketing budget at the beginning, and you got to pay him back over time, the first 50 grand you made," Gronkowski recalled. "So, I actually took that 50 grand, I bought me a car, I paid for my spot up in New England with it." Gronk Says Fans Shouldn't Be Concerned About Travis Kelce Going Hollywood Gronkowski, who played nine seasons with the Patriots and two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, noted that he is "very frugal and lived with a roommate my first couple years" which added to his ability to save. While Gronkowski is a four-time Super Bowl champion and one of the best tight ends in NFL history, he had no idea just how successful he'd be as a player. Because of that, he aired on the side of caution when it came to spending and it paid off. "I didn't know how long the NFL was gonna last," Gronkowski explained. "I was a second round pick, so it was like a four-year, $4 million deal. And I was like, 'If I play this contract out, I'll be set for life. I got $2 million in my bank. I can make $100,000, $200,000 of interest.' I was like, 'If I only play three, four years, I'm good.'" He recalled thinking, "If I don't ball, if I'm not the player that I think I could be, whatever. I'm still set for life, because $2 million in the bank [was] set for life to me at that time." Dustin Bradford/Getty Images Gronkowski retired from the NFL in 2022 and has continued to keep his NFL money off limits. "I just always wanted to save it," he said of his football earnings. "I just used my money that I was getting off the field to just spend it on whatever I needed to spend it on." When it comes to just how much money Gronkowski has, his NFL salary is just the tip on the iceberg. Forbes estimated in August 2025 that Gronkowski makes at least $10 million annually from his business endeavors. His net worth is estimated to be $45 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Wife of Former NFL Player Chad Hansen Reveals Reality of Finances When Gronkowski was picked in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, he signed a reported four-year contract for $4.4 million with a $1.76 million signing bonus. With his $50,000 marketing advance from his agent, Gronkowski spent $1,500 a month on rent, ate mostly all his meals at the Patriots' facility and enjoyed perks of being an NFL player throughout Boston - like free drinks at bars, etc. - according to Forbes. Before his rookie contract was up, Gronkowski signed a new six-year contract, $53 million extension with the Patriots in June 2012, ESPN reported at the time. The deal included $16.5 million guaranteed, which was the richest tight end deal in NFL history. In August 2018, Gronkowski signed a revised contract, adding $4.3 million in additional incentives to his 2018 payout, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapaport. The new deal meant the football star could receive a total payout of $13.3 million in 2018. Rob Gronkowski Describes His Perfect Day With Girlfriend Camille Kostek Amid his continued salary increases, Gronkowski turned his sights on increasing his wealth with brand deals, partnerships and investments. In 2013, Gronkowski signed a cash and stock deal with Bodyarmor despite having "no clue" what that meant. When Coca-Cola bought the sports drink company eight years later, Gronkowski made a "couple million dollars" as a payout, Forbes reported in August 2025. He went on to invest in condominiums and parking garages and has stock in Apple. Gronkowski is also a USAA spokesman, has partnered with FanDuel and Monster Energy and works as a broadcaster for Fox. "People thought I was just a dumb jock, and it's been like that throughout my entire life," Gronkowski told Forbes in August 2025. "Sometimes it takes me a little bit longer to figure things out as well, but I always know what's going on around me. So I played into that character sometimes - not all times, but when it was necessary."