There is no shortage of NFL athletes who have dedicated themselves to business ventures after retiring. The football GOAT Tom Brady to the Gronkowski brothers are some exceptional examples of success stories in numerous endeavors, even after hanging up their cleats. Nonetheless, there is also a hidden gem from the league that has amassed the amount of an athlete’s annual salary in mere months. Furthermore, the former LB might also soon catch up to his net worth from his playing days, with his hobby-turned-career.

Blake Martinez has had an exceptional career in the NFL, mostly known for his tenure with the Packers and the Giants. He even recorded over 700 tackles in his 7-year career. However, he called it quits with the league last year with unique plans for the future.

Martinez took an unusual path to glory

The former LB took a different route than other athletes when it comes to making bucks from a business venture. Martinez grew up with a love for Pokémon cards, and it became only intense a few years back. Since rekindling his interest in the old hobby, a lot of things have changed. Out of the blue, he left the league and even opened his own company for trading cards.

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According to an article by Dexerto, Martinez started his trading card business exactly one year ago. Since that period, he is reported to have amassed about $11 million, mere months after revealing that he made about $6 million in 8 months. Therefore, he has made about $5 million in only a quarter of a year. On the other hand, the former LB made about $28.5 million, while playing 7 years in the league.

He astounded everyone by disclosing his remarkable sales, reaching an astonishing $672k for one card and an impressive $570k for another. Aside from his card trading, Martinez also streams opening Pokémon TCG Boxes, and also several other sports trading cards.

The NFL star took a huge risk before leaving the Raiders

Although it now all seems lucrative and comforting, the former LB courageously undertook a substantial risk. It was reported that he wired a six-figure sum to a man in Japan for a very rare card. Surprisingly, he also never met the guy. This huge sum of money was carried in duffel bags, then to be delivered by train. However, it all became awfully quiet after the seller shipped the card.

Day after day, he waited and waited without any luck. He even lost all hope for a while, fearing the worst, thinking the card to be either lost or stolen. However, it finally arrived, weeks after its supposed date. At that time he was playing for the Raiders, and the rest is history. Athletes all around the league are exploring numerous ventures, however, Martinez’s card-trading business is certainly different. It will also be very interesting to see if he makes bigger sales in the near future.

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