Champions Speak 50 American Football Quotes Unleashed

1. On Perseverance

1. “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi
2. “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” – Vince Lombardi
3. “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vince Lombardi
4. “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day—but eventually it will subside.” – Lance Armstrong
5. “Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.” – William Arthur Ward

2. On Teamwork

6. “Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work.” – Vince Lombardi
7. “You’re never a loser until you quit trying.” – Mike Ditka
8. “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson
9. “Football is a game of errors. The team that makes the fewest errors in a game usually wins.” – Vince Lombardi
10. “You win as a team, you lose as a team.” – Joe Paterno

3. On Leadership

11. “Leaders aren’t born, they are made.” – Tom Landry
12. “The best leaders persuade rather than coerce.” – Nick Saban
13. “Attack each day with enthusiasm once you’ve defined your roles and responsibilities.” – Bill Parcells
14. “Leadership is getting people to work for you when they’re not obligated to.” – Joe Torre
15. “You don’t lead by hitting people over the head—that’s assault, not leadership.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

4. On Grit & Mental Toughness

16. “Pressure is something you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing.” – Peyton Manning
17. “I’ve never lost a game. I just ran out of time.” – Michael Jordan (often quoted by NFL players)
18. “It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” – Paul “Bear” Bryant
19. “You play to win the game.” – Herm Edwards
20. “The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.” – Pelé

5. On Victory

21. “Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.” – Vince Lombardi
22. “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” – Billie Jean King
23. “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan
24. “To me, football is a game of inches.” – Al Pacino (as Tony D’Amato in Any Given Sunday)
25. “Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.” – Rocky Balboa

6. On Motivation

26. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky (popular in locker rooms)
27. “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” – Tim Notke
28. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden
29. “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” – Bobby Unser
30. “If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?” – Joe Namath

7. On Discipline

31. “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn
32. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
33. “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” – Vince Lombardi
34. “Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire.” – Muhammad Ali
35. “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair

8. On Legacy

36. “Records are made to be broken.” – Kobe Bryant
37. “You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.” – Michael Phelps
38. “Success isn’t owned, it’s leased—and rent is due every day.” – J.J. Watt
39. “The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” – Vince Lombardi
40. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi (often cited by athletes)

9. On Preparation

41. “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” – Seneca
42. “Preparation is the key to success.” – Alexander Graham Bell
43. “You play with your heart, not with your feet.” – Amit Ray (adapted by football coaches)
44. “Winning means you’re willing to go longer, work harder, and give more than anyone else.” – Vince Lombardi
45. “The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.” – Joe Paterno

10. On Passion

46. “Football is like life—you have to tackle your problems head on.” – Lewis Grizzard
47. “Play every play like it’s your last.” – Pete Carroll
48. “The roar of the crowd is nothing compared to the roar of the heart.” – Unknown
49. “When you win, nothing hurts.” – Joe Namath
50. “Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” – Marc Anthony (favorite among athletes)