Camille Kostek has spent nearly two decades honing her craft as a dancer, a dedication that far transcends any superficial reasons such as dating an NFL player.
In a recent cover interview for the May/June 2024 issue of Maxim magazine, Kostek reflected on her career and her relationship with former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski, whom she met while cheerleading for the Patriots in 2015.
“People might assume being an NFL cheerleader is about getting close to the players, but training for 17 years as a dancer is hardly a strategy for finding a boyfriend,” Kostek said.
Now Kostek has transitioned from cheerleading to a burgeoning career in entertainment, modeling in a white button-up shirt and underwear for Maxim’s cover, and delivering a range of sultry looks throughout the shoot. She was part of the Patriots’ cheerleading squad when Gronkowski clinched his first Super Bowl in February 2015 and was featured on the cover of the cheerleaders’ annual swimsuit calendar, shot in Saint Lucia.
Kostek, who started dancing at age three and joined the Patriots cheerleaders in 2013, expressed frustration with how people can quickly judge based on superficial details. “I didn’t choose modeling because I wanted to be seen in a bikini. It was about loving the skin I’m in, even when that was hard,” she explained. She emphasized the importance of representation in media that shows natural beauty, like freckles or unaltered body images, which resonated with her personal experiences.
Kostek views “rejection as redirection,” a philosophy that has guided her through various aspects of her life, from health and relationships to her career. Her first significant TV role came with the reboot of “Wipeout” on TBS in 2021.
Currently, Kostek is pursuing her interests in modeling, acting, and hosting, set to appear for the seventh consecutive year in the 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. “I hate being complacent. Acting scares me because it’s so different from being a TV host, but I love the challenge,” she stated.
Kostek has also set her sights on participating in “Dancing With the Stars” in 2024, adding another dimension to her dynamic career.
As for Gronkowski, he retired from the NFL after the 2021 season and has since moved into broadcasting. His first retirement was in March 2019, only to return a year later to play with Tom Brady on the Buccaneers, winning another Super Bowl in February 2021.
