--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're a quarterback, and you're…" description: "\"When you're a quarterback, and you're dropping back, I can't watch what the receivers are doing.\" — Alex Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/alex-smith-5123_back_when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dro_667298.png" --- # When you're a quarterback, and you're dropping back, I… ![“When you're a quarterback, and you're dropping back, I can't watch what the receivers are doing.” quote by Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/alex-smith-5123_back_when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dro_667298.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/alex-smith-5123_back_when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dro_667298.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/alex-smith-5123_back_when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dro_667298.png) > “When you're a quarterback, and you're dropping back, I can't watch what the receivers are doing.” [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A quarterback must focus on his role, not be distracted by others' actions, to perform effectively. **In simple terms:** Focus on your own role, not others. Key Takeaway Stay focused on your tasks. Themes focus teamwork performance Mood determined professional Type practical motivational When to use this quote - football games - team meetings - coaching sessions Key Concepts sports psychology leadership Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance focus and awareness? - When is it okay to watch teammates? A Different Perspective Over‑focus can ignore valuable information from teammates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ## Related quotes > [No quarterback goes out there and plays well on his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/no-quarterback-goes-out-there-and-plays-well-on-his-own/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [As a quarterback, when you do have a three-and-out or things do not go right, you are the first one to know. You know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/as-a-quarterback-when-you-do-have-a-three-and-out-or-things-do-not-go/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Game day can be emotional, and there are a lot of ups and downs throughout a game, but as a quarterback, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/game-day-can-be-emotional-and-there-are-a-lot-of-ups-and-downs/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [As a quarterback, you've got a huge responsibility: You're touching the ball every single play. You have such a big impact on deciding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/as-a-quarterback-you-ve-got-a-huge-responsibility-you-re-touching-the/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [As a quarterback, especially when I come off to the sideline, I am trying to get things corrected, trying to get things figured out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/as-a-quarterback-especially-when-i-come-off-to-the-sideline-i-am/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Quarterback play starts with your eyes and feet. Those have to be in the right place and have to be on time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/quarterback-play-starts-with-your-eyes-and-feet-those-have-to-be-in/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [You're the quarterback, if you lose games... it's the head coach and the quarterback. If you're not winning, it's on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/you-re-the-quarterback-if-you-lose-games-it-s-the-head-coach-and-the/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I think the quarterback position, moreso than in all of sports, no other position compares - you rely on so many people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/i-think-the-quarterback-position-moreso-than-in-all-of-sports-no/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Some receivers are like sports cars: they have a lot of speed and flair. Me, I'm like an old pickup truck. I just bounce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/some-receivers-are-like-sports-cars-they-have-a-lot-of-speed-and/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [We're all receivers, we make catches, we do all those little things, but sometimes you've got to separate yourself from others and do some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordarrelle-patterson/we-re-all-receivers-we-make-catches-we-do-all-those-little-things-but/) [Cordarrelle Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordarrelle-patterson/) > [Getting through the reads in an efficient manner. I don't want to stay on receivers too long to where a bad decision is made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-foles/getting-through-the-reads-in-an-efficient-manner-i-don-t-want-to-stay/) [Nick Foles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-foles/) > [There was not one doubt in my mind that I can play this game at a high level and be one of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandin-cooks/there-was-not-one-doubt-in-my-mind-that-i-can-play-this-game-at-a/) [Brandin Cooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandin-cooks/) > [The receivers are an integral part of the passing game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-stram/the-receivers-are-an-integral-part-of-the-passing-game/) [Hank Stram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-stram/) > [When you read about white athletes these days and white skill possession receivers specifically, one word you'll always find is tough. You'll rarely see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/when-you-read-about-white-athletes-these-days-and-white-skill/) [Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/) > [I don't rank receivers myself, because I feel like I'm one of the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/i-don-t-rank-receivers-myself-because-i-feel-like-i-m-one-of-the-top/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) ## More by Alex Smith > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I know guys respect work ethic, and they respect the guys that are invested and committed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/i-know-guys-respect-work-ethic-and-they-respect-the-guys-that-are/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [At the combine and at my workouts, I tried to be the perfect player. I tried to promote my strengths and conceal my weaknesses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/at-the-combine-and-at-my-workouts-i-tried-to-be-the-perfect-player-i/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Game day can be emotional, and there are a lot of ups and downs throughout a game, but as a quarterback, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/game-day-can-be-emotional-and-there-are-a-lot-of-ups-and-downs/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [When I watch good friends play, it's almost worse when you're watching, because you have zero impact: you have zero hand in what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/when-i-watch-good-friends-play-it-s-almost-worse-when-you-re-watching/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [If you don't go out there and play winning football, they're going to try and find somebody who can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/if-you-don-t-go-out-there-and-play-winning-football-they-re-going-to/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Quarterback play starts with your eyes and feet. Those have to be in the right place and have to be on time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/quarterback-play-starts-with-your-eyes-and-feet-those-have-to-be-in/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I don't feel like I have to prove myself to anybody any longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-to-prove-myself-to-anybody-any-longer/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I think the quarterback position, moreso than in all of sports, no other position compares - you rely on so many people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/i-think-the-quarterback-position-moreso-than-in-all-of-sports-no/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I've been to so many deals with so many of my peers. I hate to say it, but you go, and it's some tournament…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/i-ve-been-to-so-many-deals-with-so-many-of-my-peers-i-hate-to-say-it/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [In this league, you can't take your foot off the gas pedal. You think you have something won, but teams are too good, too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/in-this-league-you-can-t-take-your-foot-off-the-gas-pedal-you-think/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [In the pocket, you do have some protections, but you get out of the pocket, and defenders' eyes get big. Sometimes you learn that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/in-the-pocket-you-do-have-some-protections-but-you-get-out-of-the/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I fast all the time - daily. It's such a counterintuitive thing because, my whole life, I've been training to get bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/i-fast-all-the-time-daily-it-s-such-a-counterintuitive-thing-because/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [There are a lot of peripheral things that you have to deal with in this league, and I dealt with a lot of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/there-are-a-lot-of-peripheral-things-that-you-have-to-deal-with-in/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [It's fun to come in when it's first down. It's not fun to come back in when it's third-and-long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/it-s-fun-to-come-in-when-it-s-first-down-it-s-not-fun-to-come-back-in/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) [Explore all 103 Alex Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) ## More Back quotes > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I honestly would like to get that Frankie fight back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/i-honestly-would-like-to-get-that-frankie-fight-back/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [Drumming's pretty physical. We sit at the back of the stage getting beat up like a workhorse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/drumming-s-pretty-physical-we-sit-at-the-back-of-the-stage-getting/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [I've always stuck my arms behind my back anyway when trying to block a shot in the penalty area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/i-ve-always-stuck-my-arms-behind-my-back-anyway-when-trying-to-block/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Ronaldo is just an athlete. He works so hard and back to back; he is always there. But if you work hard, can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/ronaldo-is-just-an-athlete-he-works-so-hard-and-back-to-back-he-is/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) Browse all 9,709 Back quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're a quarterback, and you're dropping back, I can't watch what the receivers are doing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alex Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dropping-back-i-can-t-watch-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Back" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dropping-back-i-can-t-watch-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/alex-smith-5123_back_when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dro_667298.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/alex-smith-5123_back_when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dro_667298.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/alex-smith-5123_back_when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dro_667298.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're a quarterback, and you're dropping back, I can't watch what the receivers are doing.” — Alex Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alex Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're a quarterback, and you're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dropping-back-i-can-t-watch-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/when-you-re-a-quarterback-and-you-re-dropping-back-i-can-t-watch-what/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```