--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I…" description: "\"I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am today without my pops. I think a lot of a football player's makeup is mental, and I've been blessed to have ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/chris-long-5847_ball-player_i-wouldn-t-be-anywhere-close-to-where-i_1582761.jpg" --- # I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am today without… ![“I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am today without my pops. I think a lot of a football player's makeup is mental, and I've been blessed to have someone to learn from. Not just from a technical standpoint, but everything he taught me about being a hard worker, a teammate and just being a…” quote by Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/chris-long-5847_ball-player_i-wouldn-t-be-anywhere-close-to-where-i_1582761.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/chris-long-5847_ball-player_i-wouldn-t-be-anywhere-close-to-where-i_1582761.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/chris-long-5847_ball-player_i-wouldn-t-be-anywhere-close-to-where-i_1582761.jpg) > “I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am today without my pops. I think a lot of a football player's makeup is mental, and I've been blessed to have someone to learn from. Not just from a technical standpoint, but everything he taught me about being a hard worker, a teammate and just being a football player.” [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A father's influence shapes a player's mental toughness, work ethic, and teamwork. **In simple terms:** Dad taught mental strength and hard work. Key Takeaway Value mentorship and hard work. Themes family mentorship sports personal growth Mood grateful reflective Type motivational personal When to use this quote - training - team sports - career development - personal coaching Key Concepts mindset discipline leadership Questions to Reflect On - Who else can you learn from? - How to diversify your support network? A Different Perspective Reliance on a single mentor may limit broader perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessed/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-player/) [Hard worker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-worker/) [Teammate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teammate/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [I think it was everything about him: his work ethic, his desire to be the best football player that he can be. He just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-it-was-everything-about-him-his-work-ethic-his-desire-to-be/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [I'm going to come in and be a hard worker, and I'm going to try to lead by example and be a great teammate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-mack/i-m-going-to-come-in-and-be-a-hard-worker-and-i-m-going-to-try-to/) [Khalil Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-mack/) > [I approach football very personally and I dedicate my life to being the best football player that I can possibly be, the best teammate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-watt/i-approach-football-very-personally-and-i-dedicate-my-life-to-being/) [T. J. Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-watt/) > [I think that every guy who has come through New England would say that he gained a lot of knowledge and experience that made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-mccourty/i-think-that-every-guy-who-has-come-through-new-england-would-say/) [Devin McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devin-mccourty/) > [I have never, ever, received any taunts or any form of anti-Semitism. And I suppose being a Jewish football player with the Atlanta Falcons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/i-have-never-ever-received-any-taunts-or-any-form-of-anti-semitism/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [At the end of the day, who you are as a man is more important than who you are as a football player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-whitworth/at-the-end-of-the-day-who-you-are-as-a-man-is-more-important-than-who/) [Andrew Whitworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-whitworth/) > [I wish you guys would just say, 'Michael Sam, how's the football going? How's training going?' But it is what it is. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-wish-you-guys-would-just-say-michael-sam-how-s-the-football-going/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [Diego Costa always gives us physical and moral strength. He is a very important player for the character he transmits to the team, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-simeone/diego-costa-always-gives-us-physical-and-moral-strength-he-is-a-very/) [Diego Simeone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-simeone/) > [Someone on Twitter sent me a page from a textbook. It had a picture of a football player next to a picture of me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-silverman/someone-on-twitter-sent-me-a-page-from-a-textbook-it-had-a-picture-of/) [Sarah Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-silverman/) > [Behind many players with an African background, and I've met a lot of them, there is a clan and sometimes a whole village, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralf-rangnick/behind-many-players-with-an-african-background-and-i-ve-met-a-lot-of/) [Ralf Rangnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralf-rangnick/) > [The goalkeeper also should not be the one with the most contact on the ball. In almost every league and every country, the goalkeeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralf-rangnick/the-goalkeeper-also-should-not-be-the-one-with-the-most-contact-on/) [Ralf Rangnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralf-rangnick/) > [I was a good football player, and I had a chance to play with some great players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-was-a-good-football-player-and-i-had-a-chance-to-play-with-some/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [MOST AMAZING FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD && IN REAL MADRID](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-amazing-football-player-in-the-entire-world-in-real-madrid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I competed every day as a professional football player... You've got to like competing. That's how your team gets better, when you have competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-competed-every-day-as-a-professional-football-player-you-ve-got-to/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [I have friends in other industries but if I am training for a wrestling match, I would turn to the best wrestler to train,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/i-have-friends-in-other-industries-but-if-i-am-training-for-a/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) ## More by Chris Long > [My mother has been really instrumental in raising a lot of money through the Boys & Girls Club in my hometown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/my-mother-has-been-really-instrumental-in-raising-a-lot-of-money/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [I'm a big guy and I can't have any tiny tattoos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-m-a-big-guy-and-i-can-t-have-any-tiny-tattoos/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [Before I was a champion, I failed, and I was afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/before-i-was-a-champion-i-failed-and-i-was-afraid/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [I came to Philly not only because of the quality of the team and the organization, but also the fans, the passion - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-came-to-philly-not-only-because-of-the-quality-of-the-team-and-the/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [I don't think football is enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-don-t-think-football-is-enough-for-me/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [My dad was able to give me everything through football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/my-dad-was-able-to-give-me-everything-through-football/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [I've been through nine camps, and they're all a little bit different, but at the end of the day, it's just football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-ve-been-through-nine-camps-and-they-re-all-a-little-bit-different/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [I've been lucky, man. I've been very lucky for 10 years, made a lot of money playing a game, a kids' game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-ve-been-lucky-man-i-ve-been-very-lucky-for-10-years-made-a-lot-of/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [I love Philadelphia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-love-philadelphia/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [When I grew up, I had everything you could ask for, and I kind of didn't appreciate it. Because it was a given for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/when-i-grew-up-i-had-everything-you-could-ask-for-and-i-kind-of-didn/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [In my career playing football, nobody asked me to do as much as Bill Belichick did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/in-my-career-playing-football-nobody-asked-me-to-do-as-much-as-bill/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [It's a team game, but at the end of the day, you gotta be happy, and you gotta enjoy playing football every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/it-s-a-team-game-but-at-the-end-of-the-day-you-gotta-be-happy-and-you/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [I've heard a lot of people say you need white athletes to get involved in the anthem protests. I've said before I'll never kneel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-ve-heard-a-lot-of-people-say-you-need-white-athletes-to-get/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [Educational equity was my way of giving my salary. It's not $10 million or anything. I'm not going to act like I'm the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/educational-equity-was-my-way-of-giving-my-salary-it-s-not-10-million/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [This is a wonderful country, and I think everyone agrees on that, but there are things in our country that can improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/this-is-a-wonderful-country-and-i-think-everyone-agrees-on-that-but/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) [Explore all 100 Chris Long quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) ## More Ball player quotes > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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You've got to like competing. That's how your team gets better, when you have competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-competed-every-day-as-a-professional-football-player-you-ve-got-to/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [“I can’t wait to knock you up and have a whole team of little baseball players around this place!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/i-can-t-wait-to-knock-you-up-and-have-a-whole-team-of-little-baseball/) [J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/) > [MOST AMAZING FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD && IN REAL MADRID](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-amazing-football-player-in-the-entire-world-in-real-madrid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My older brothers were both basketball players so I just grew up around the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/my-older-brothers-were-both-basketball-players-so-i-just-grew-up/) [Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/) > [I'm a basketball player, so I want to do whatever I've got to do to be on the floor and I'm prepared for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-haliburton/i-m-a-basketball-player-so-i-want-to-do-whatever-i-ve-got-to-do-to-be/) [Tyrese Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-haliburton/) > [“Seeing yourself in print is such an amazing concept: you can get so much attention without having to actually show up somewhere. While others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeing-yourself-in-print-is-such-an-amazing-concept-you-can-get-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People say baseball players should go out and have fun. No way. To me, baseball is pressure, I always feel it. This is work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/people-say-baseball-players-should-go-out-and-have-fun-no-way-to-me/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [“The great thing about baseball players, from the point of view of personal hygiene, is how seldom they break a sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-great-thing-about-baseball-players-from-the-point-of-view-of/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [A lot of scouts and people are enamored with athleticism and youth. So they take that any day over mature, high-quality basketball players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/a-lot-of-scouts-and-people-are-enamored-with-athleticism-and-youth-so/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [I'm a baseball player. I've done this my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/i-m-a-baseball-player-i-ve-done-this-my-whole-life/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) Browse all 1,395 Ball player quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am today without my pops. I think a lot of a football player's makeup is mental, and I've been blessed to have someone to learn from. 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