Ford CEO Jim Farley asked Rob Gronkowski how to run a company. Gronk didn’t sugarcoat it. “Run it like a football program.” That means no politics, no excuses, and no second chances. “If you’re not producing week in and week out, you’re gonna be gone.” Brutal? Maybe. But Gronk offered advice based on his own leadership philosophy. Execute or get replaced.

Gronk’s playbook for leadership

Gronkowski built his career in one of the most cutthroat environments in sports—the New England Patriots locker room. His philosophy? If you’re not pulling your weight, you’re on the bench. “Know your role,” he told Farley. “And let the people know they should know their role as well.”

For Gronk, that’s not just football—that’s life. “If you’re not winning, if you’re not producing, you’re gone.” To him that means no corporate politics. No favors. And no free rides. That’s how the NFL works, and in his mind, that’s how a company should operate, too. “You gotta perform, you gotta execute, and you gotta win.”

It’s the same mindset he saw from his former boss, Patriots owner Robert Kraft. “He cared about the team.” Gronk added Kraft, “Cared about winning. He cared about the players and the community.” But make no mistake—if you didn’t deliver on the field, you weren’t sticking around long.

And if any of this sounds harsh, that’s the point. The NFL isn’t a league for people looking for participation trophies, and Gronk doesn’t think the business world should be, either.

Built Ford tough: Gronkowskis have always been Team Blue Oval

Gronkowski’s leadership philosophy might come straight from the NFL, but his love of Ford goes all the way back to childhood. His dad bought his first F-150 in 1984—and never looked back. “Ever since then, he’s had a Ford truck,” Gronk said. “My mom’s a Ford Mom, too.”

The family fleet didn’t stop there. When Gronk was growing up, that F-150 was hauling fitness equipment for his dad’s business, and it doubled as the family’s go-to ride for sports. “We had all our gear in there,” he said. “Hockey, baseball, football—whatever sport we were playing, the Ford truck was loaded up.”

His first car? A 2000 Ford Explorer, complete with a subwoofer setup and flashing lights—because of course Gronk had the most party-ready SUV in high school. Gronk laughed, “I was one of the coolest guys with the Ford Explorer…That was my ride.”

And now? Gronk upgraded his ride to The Gronko—his fully customized Ford Bronco. Raptor grille, custom stitched headrests, and plenty of attitude. “I heard about J.R. and T.U. in West Virginia from other NFL players,” Gronk said. “They helped me customize the Gronko.” You can see Gronk introduce his beast of a Bronco in the video below:

Gronk’s leadership philosophy: No room for passengers

Gronk didn’t mince words: leadership is about accountability, execution, and cutting dead weight. “There’s no politics involved,” he said. “You gotta perform, you gotta execute, and you gotta win.”

Ford might not be an NFL team, but Gronk’s playbook applies. Want to keep your job? Show up, do your job, and deliver results. Because whether you’re in the boardroom or the locker room, if you don’t execute, someone else is waiting to take your spot.