Former NFL player pivots to Pokémon TCG sales and makes millions

The window of time for being an NFL pro athlete is a very small one. Running the gridiron isn’t something you can do for decades on end, as it demands pique physical performance, and the threat of injury is always looming. One false step and you can find yourself completely out of commission, and even worse, out of a job.

Blake Martinez knew that fact very well, as he’s now a former NFL linebacker. Martinez left the NFL and decided to try his hand at making money through Pokémon TCG sales. He started up Blake’s Breaks, a collectible card company, after spending 7 years in the NFL. So far, it seems like things are going incredibly well.

Martinez has revealed that he’s earned over $11 million since kicking off Blake’s Breaks, which shows that there’s some serious money to be made in the Pokemon TCG market. Of course, Martinez had a sizable amount of cash from his NFL career to help build his trading card business, which shows why the old adage of ‘it takes money to make money’ remains true to this day.

Martinez made the move to Pokémon card sales after struggling in the NFL and dealing with health issues. He saw an opportunity to cut out early, let his body heal, and start up a business that could potentially keep him afloat long-term. With $11 million in the bank already, it seems like Martinez made the right move.