Rob Gronkowski Explains Why He Needs to Know 'His Value on the Streets'

Rob Gronkowski has won four Super Bowls, built a Hall of Fame-worthy NFL career and become one of football's most recognizable personalities. But even after all that, there's one number he still likes to keep an eye on.

The value of his own trading cards.

Speaking with People ahead of the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago, Gronkowski admitted he regularly checks eBay to see what collectors are paying for cards featuring him. And while he laughed about it, he also had a surprisingly practical explanation.

"Of course, you've got to," Gronkowski said. "You've got to see your value on the streets because if you're pulling cards and ripping decks, you've gotta know your value. That's what it's all about."

The four-time Super Bowl champion has been buying and selling on eBay since he was a kid, when he said he used the platform to sell paintball guns. Now, years after becoming one of the NFL's most collectible stars, he still enjoys seeing where his cards stack up in the hobby.

Gronkowski says teammate cards are even more exciting

Gronkowski will host the first-ever Gronk Geeks Out livestream during the National Sports Collectors Convention on Aug. 1, an event centered around opening packs and chasing rare cards.

While he admitted seeing his own cards is fun, he said there's another type of pull that gets him even more excited.

"The trading card industry has caught my attention big time," Gronkowski said. "In the back of my mind, I know I can always autograph it and bring the value up with the card, so whenever I see Julian (Edelman), I'm like, go sign this card real quick so the value goes up."

He added that pulling cards of former teammates like Tom Brady or Edelman is especially rewarding because there's a personal connection behind them.

"It's always cool to pull others, but when you can get your teammates, it's cooler when you know somebody personally."

The one card Gronkowski still wants to find

Even after years of collecting, Gronkowski says one dream card continues to top his wish list.

"A numbered Michael Jordan basketball card," he said. "That's a dream pull. I don't know how many are out there now, but that's a dream pull right there."

For Gronkowski, the hobby has evolved from collecting as a kid into something he genuinely enjoys as an adult. And yes, that includes occasionally checking what his own memorabilia is worth.

As he put it, every collector needs to know their "value on the streets," even if that collector happens to be one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.

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