Endzone Wisdom 50 American Football Quotes to Inspire

August 1, 2025

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” – Michael Jordan
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
“It’s not about the name on the back, it’s about the logo on the front.” – Joe Paterno
“Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” – Mattie Stepanek

“Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” – Vince Lombardi
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” – Vince Lombardi
“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi
“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vince Lombardi
“If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?” – Joe Namath

“Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne
“Difficult takes a day; impossible takes a week.” – Tom Landry
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
“Pressure is something you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing.” – Peyton Manning
“Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.” – William Arthur Ward

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan
“The road to Easy Street goes through the sewer.” – John Madden
“Football is like life—it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and respect for authority.” – Vince Lombardi
“If you want to win, do the ordinary things better than anyone else does them day in and day out.” – Chuck Noll
“Success isn’t owned, it’s leased—and rent is due every day.” – J.J. Watt

“Football is not a matter of life and death. It’s more important than that.” – Bill Shankly
“The love of football is universal.” – Anonymous
“You play to win the game.” – Herm Edwards
“The game itself teaches you the most important lessons in life.” – Mike Ditka
“When you win, nothing hurts.” – Joe Namath

“Concentration, mental toughness, call it what you want, but it’s the willingness to persist that makes the difference.” – Pat Riley
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
“Preparation is the key to success.” – Alexander Graham Bell
“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

“I’d like to be remembered as someone who tried to give his all.” – Walter Payton
“Greatness is a lot of small things done well every day.” – Ray Lewis
“Records are made to be broken. Excellence is to be pursued forever.” – Jerry West
“Legends aren’t born. Legends are made when no one is looking.” – Tom Brady
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

“Your biggest opponent isn’t the other guy. It’s human nature.” – Bobby Knight
“Champions keep playing until they get it right.” – Billie Jean King
“Effort is between you and you. Nobody can take it away.” – Michael Jordan
“You don’t play for the crowd, you play for the name on the front of the jersey.” – Steve Young
“Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong.” – Bobby Knight

“Winning isn’t everything, but having fun playing the game is.” – Tony Dorsett
“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Jimmy Johnson
“Victory belongs to the most persevering.” – Napoleon Bonaparte
“The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.” – Les Brown
“Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up.” – Rocky Balboa