Rob Gronkowski has revealed he invested $69,000 in Apple in 2014 before he knew how stocks worked – all on the advice of his contractor.
The NFL legend was playing for the New England Patriots alongside Tom Brady at the time and was having a house built in Foxborough.
But it wasn’t just home improvements that the legendary tight end was getting advice on.
‘Every time I saw him, when we were building the house, he kept saying, “Get Apple. Get Apple”‘ Gronkowski told Fortune.
‘So after the 50th time, I got it. And let me tell you, it’s the best investment I’ve ever had in my life. I had never been involved in stocks. I really didn’t know how stocks work.
‘Obviously this just fits along the lines of just me being myself; I’m going to put $69,000 into Apple stock. So I call up my financial advisor. I’m like, “Put $69,000 in Apple.” My own money, with no advice like this, is just from the guy who built my house here in the New England area.’
Rob Gronkowski has revealed he invested $69,000 in Apple in 2014 – it’s now worth $600k
Gronkowski won four Super Bowl titles in his playing career alongside Tom Brady
Incredibly, Gronk then forgot he ever made the investment for two years. When he rediscovered what he had done, it was worth $250,000.
He sold a portion, and kept some for himself that he is still holding on to now.
‘Now to this day, I have over $600,000 in Apple stock, all because of the investment I made in 2014 having no idea what I was doing, but just listening to the guy that built my house here in New England,’ he added.
‘Let me tell you, he built my house, and he gave all the money back to me by telling me to invest in Apple.’
Gronkowski won four Super Bowl titles across his 11-year career, three at the Patriots and another with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – also alongside Brady.
He said in his book ‘It’s Good to be Gronk’ that he rarely touched the money he earned from his playing career and instead lived off what he made from marketing with the likes of Dunkin’ Donuts and T-Mobile.
‘To this day, I still haven’t touched one dime of my signing bonus or NFL contract money,’ he said in the 2015 book.
‘I live off my marketing money and haven’t blown it on any big-money expensive cars, expensive jewelry or tattoos and still wear my favorite pair of jeans from high school.’
The 35-year-old, who now works in sports media as well as making investment into fitness apparel brands, has an estimated wealth of $45million.