View in gallery Life isn’t always easy. (If it were… well, that would be just grand.) However, the reality is that as we age, we will all experience good times and bad. We will have joy and sorrow, love, laughter, tears, and heartache. Okay, that sounds like something out of Rocky, rather than from the gridiron. But no matter the sport–from boxing to football–the romance and struggle of competition has given rise to plenty of big moments and memorable quotes that apply to any and all walks of life. Buckle up, readers, because this post is going to be a long one. We’re looking at the ultimate list of inspirational football quotes to help you get motivated to deal with anything life throws your way. Seeing how there have been so many quotable figures and memorable moments in the sport over the years, we have broken this article into different sections. Feel free to keep reading from start to finish. It’s definitely worth your while. However, for those looking for easier navigation, here is a handy table of contents to help you jump right to the section you need to read the most.
HERE’S YOUR SHORTLIST OF MOTIVATIONAL FOOTBALL QUOTES:
Inspirational Coach Quotes from Vince LombardiFootball Motivational Quotes from Joe MontanaGame Day Quotes from Peyton ManningBest Football Quotes from Tom BradyMemorable Football Quotes from Jerry RiceLegendary Football Captions from John MaddenWise Football Sayings from Bill BelichickMeaningful NFL Quotes from Bill WalshInspirational Football Quotes to Help You Through Tough Times
Inspirational Coach Quotes from Vince Lombardi
View in gallery If you want to talk about football quotes, then there is one name that immediately springs to mind. Vince Lombardi is a name synonymous with football. The legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers never had a losing season as a coach and led his team to victory in the first-ever Super Bowl. Repeating the feat the following year, in 1967, he cemented himself as one of the GOAT. A swift illness took Lombardi at just 57 years old. Who knows just how much more he could have achieved. Yet despite that, Vince Lombardi is one of the most commonly quoted figures in football. Known for his strict regimen and the high demand he placed on his players, he required excellence with every play. The result was not only a career record that many still wish to emulate today but a plethora of motivational football quotes that can be applied to any walk of life.
Take a page out of Vince Lombardi’s playbook with these 12 inspirational coach quotes:
Football Motivational Quotes from Joe Montana
View in gallery If you are looking for football sayings and quotes, who better to look to than the Comeback Kid? Joe Montana was a leader and a player whose inspirational words rarely failed to rally his team. Famous for his ability to stay calm under pressure, his deep deck of motivational football quotes helped him lead staggering thirty-two come-from-behind fourth-quarter victories. One of these includes The Catch, a game-winning play that came with less than a minute left on the clock. Joe Montana is truly one of the GOATs. He is undefeated in Super Bowls, and he still holds the record for most pass attempts without throwing an interception (122). His resume speaks for itself, and his legacy is set. His collection of “you’ve got this” quotes is just the icing on the cake. A man used to winning, Montana’s inspirational football quotes are often centered around mindset and self-belief.
When in doubt, keep Joe Montana’s give-it-your-all quotes in mind:
Game Day Quotes from Peyton Manning
View in gallery A motivational quote is not just about the words but equally about the person uttering them: The initial speaker of said words needs to have the credentials to back up what they are saying. And when it comes to inspirational football quotes, you have to think about Peyton Manning. An athlete who is the embodiment of success and hard work; a man who has fought to not only reach the pinnacle but hold onto his position at the top of the pile. Of his 15-year career, he never missed a single regular-season game for 13 of those years. Numerous accolades stand to this day, including most consecutive seasons with at least 25 touchdown passes, the first quarterback to reach 200 career wins, and, most importantly (for this list), the first quarterback to lead five consecutive fourth-quarter comeback wins. This one points to his tenacity as a player and his ability to motivate those around him.
Manning’s football quotes focus on the state of mind and not letting the voices of doubt get you down:
Best Football Quotes from Tom Brady
View in gallery Sometimes motivational quotes are vague. They talk about a notion or a concept. However, they are easily relatable and can be applied without too much trouble to any given situation. Then you get the quotes that are far more specific. In no way are they less motivating, but they require a little more thought before we can apply them ourselves. Tom Brady could be called Mr. NFL. He is a living legend and certain to go down in the annals of history as one of the very best. His list of accomplishments, accolades, and current records is almost as long as this article. They include record numbers of games started, played, and won as a skill position player. He also holds the records for the number of career passes, touchdown passes, and pass attempts. The list goes on and on, so if you are looking for a verified source of motivational football quotes, Tom Brady is the man to look at.
Brady’s more memorable captions are, of course, focused around football. But it’s not that hard to take the concept from his winning quotes and apply it to any walk of life:
Memorable Football Quotes from Jerry Rice
View in gallery We’ve had quotes on this list from managers and quarterbacks–the two positions carrying the most authority on the field. Yet, as is the case with motivation in any form, it is not only required on the gridiron. True motivation is born behind the scenes, away from the cameras and the adulation of the fans. It is born within us and shines through how we carry ourselves and how we deal with others. Success and motivation stand hand in hand but lead. Jerry Rice is widely regarded as one of the best players ever to lace up their boots. You would be hard pushed to find a positional record that he doesn’t own or has not owned for a long period of time in the past.
Jerry Rice is a man known for his unyielding work ethic and dedication to being the best. But his inspirational football quotes speak more to perseverance and recognizing there are no shortcuts to the top:
Legendary Football Captions from John Madden
View in gallery When looking at football, there is one name that rises above the rest. A name that carries with it a global appeal that even non-football fans will recognize and a host of inspiring football quotes that many may not even know originated from his mouth. John Madden, a Super Bowl-winning coach, respected color commentator, and a video game franchise name. He really has done most things that could be done in and around football, and he has done them well, including a career coaching record of 112-39-7, equating to a 76% win record in the regular season. Madden spent a decade as head coach of the Oakland Raiders, during which he never placed lower than second in the division. It was during this time he won his only Super Bowl, leading his 1976 team to a 16-1 record. One of the core essentials needed to be a coach is to be that motivating factor. You need to instill a drive and passion in your team. Combine their enthusiasm and turn it into results. Pick them up when they are down, and I’ve them the belief that they can conquer the world. You can’t be a successful football coach without being good with your words. It’s no wonder then that there are so many John Madden-derived football quotes. From the simple to the complex, Madden had what it took to light the fire of desire in his players. Many of Madden’s football quotes reflect more on the sense of self than they do the rousing commands of your peers. He talks of dedication and the will to win, but not ruling with an iron fist.
They are different from many of the other football quotes in this list, yet they are nonetheless inspiring in the way they provoke thought and reflection.
Wise Football Sayings from Bill Belichick
View in gallery We’ve already had some great coach quotes from some of football’s biggest names. However, Bill Belichick possibly trumps them all. Not only has his career been remarkable, but he has spent the past 21 seasons as head coach of the same team. His stint at the helm of the New York Giants will go down in history as one of the longest coaching spells at a single team. On top of that, the accolades he has acquired during this time leave no room for doubt. Love him or hate him, Bill Belichick is one heck of a coach. So how do you get such longevity? By having a long list of inspirational football quotes to pull out and use when needed. Inspirational words are intended to light a fire and get the team back onto winning ways. When you can stand up and say you led a team to six Super Bowl victories, then you know you’ve done alright. It’s not surprising, therefore, that the list of potential Bill Belichick football quotes was a tough one to narrow down.
Belichick knew that football is much like life. It’s not always about individual effort, but a team effort—a place where individual work ethic is but a single part of an enterprising whole:
Meaningful NFL Quotes from Bill Walsh
View in gallery Bill Walsh took the helm of the San Francisco 49ers and led them to three Super Bowl titles in ten years. He was voted coach of the year on two separate occasions and had an NFL career win percentage of over 60%. He was a man who knew how to wield a football quip or two and how to use them effectively. There are many football quotes attributed to his voice over the years. Many of them talk about the power of leadership and the value of a team having a strong leader. The great coach quotes we chose below may be football-specific in origin, but it doesn’t take much to apply them to everyday life. Life is a team affair; we are rarely all alone as we navigate its waters. We are all the leaders of our own ship, and if you have the power to believe in yourself, then anything is possible.
If you are struggling, then Bill Walsh’s inspirational football quotes will light a fire in you in no time.
Inspirational Football Quotes to Help You Through Tough Times
We’ve heard some motivating football quotes from some of the biggest names in the sport. Each of them, icons in their own way. However, there are a great many names of people who have played the game or coached that have uttered pearls of wisdom that deserve to be remembered. Some are rousing, others inspiring. Some tow the line of being rebellious, and others make you chuckle, for a laugh can be just as motivating in difficult times as a Shakespearian speech. The following football quotes come from various sources, but all easily apply to any real-life situation. No matter what you are going through, someone has been there and survived. Their triumphs can be the building blocks for your own success.
The overarching theme of these quotes is self-belief and being willing to chase after your dreams and not let anybody put you down for following them.
Motivational Football Quotes: Touchdown!
Life is challenging, and there will be times that you find the struggles almost overbearing. Just remember, never give up, There are plenty who have struggled, and while that does not diminish the strength of your woes, it should provide the spark of belief that can become the inferno of change. Bad times test us. They ask how bad we really want something. Are we willing to crawl towards our goal? Sport is a great arena for motivation, and football quotes always seem to echo a little deeper than many others. Perhaps it is the simplicity of win or lose, of life or death. It’s about fighting for every inch, turning them into yards, and the slow progression towards the end goal. Whatever it is, these football quotes ignite something deeper within ourselves. They make us stand taller, calm our minds and face our problems head-on and with a renewed vigor. If there will be any parting words more fitting, they probably already appear in the article above. Just know that when you are going through tough times, keep going, because success and everything you dreamed about, worked for, and have earned, is just around the corner.
