---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great players always play with a chip on…"
description: "\"Great players always play with a chip on their shoulder no matter if they have a reason to or not.\" — Christian McCaffrey"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/christian-mccaffrey-6471_always_great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on_2004265.jpg"
---

#  Great players always play with a chip on their shoulder no…

![“Great players always play with a chip on their shoulder no matter if they have a reason to or not.” quote by Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/christian-mccaffrey-6471_always_great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on_2004265.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/christian-mccaffrey-6471_always_great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on_2004265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/christian-mccaffrey-6471_always_great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on_2004265.jpg)

> “Great players always play with a chip on their shoulder no matter if they have a reason to or not.”

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

States that top athletes maintain a chip on their shoulder, driven by internal or external motivations.

**In simple terms:** Great players stay motivated by perceived slights.

Key Takeaway

Use perceived slights as fuel.

Themes

motivation competition mindset

Mood

determined focused

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- sports training
- career advancement
- personal challenges

Key Concepts

psychology performance pressure

Questions to Reflect On

- What fuels your drive?
- Can you channel frustration positively?

A Different Perspective

Overreliance on resentment can cause burnout.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/players/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/)

## Related quotes

> [I play with a chip on my shoulder always, I feel like people don't always give me credit for my skills and talents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/i-play-with-a-chip-on-my-shoulder-always-i-feel-like-people-don-t/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [I'm just trying to win something... I play with a chip on my shoulder, a real passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-cauley-stein/i-m-just-trying-to-win-something-i-play-with-a-chip-on-my-shoulder-a/)

[Willie Cauley-Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-cauley-stein/)

> [We like to play with a chip on our shoulder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/we-like-to-play-with-a-chip-on-our-shoulder/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [I always want to find something to get you to play with a chip on your shoulder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-veon-bell/i-always-want-to-find-something-to-get-you-to-play-with-a-chip-on/)

[Le'Veon Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-veon-bell/)

> [I do play with a chip on my shoulder. That's who I am. That's how Philadelphia basketball players are raised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/i-do-play-with-a-chip-on-my-shoulder-that-s-who-i-am-that-s-how/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [When I'm out there, I play with a chip on my shoulder regardless of the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/when-i-m-out-there-i-play-with-a-chip-on-my-shoulder-regardless-of/)

[Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/)

> [I always play with an edge. Play with a chip on my shoulder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-poole/i-always-play-with-an-edge-play-with-a-chip-on-my-shoulder/)

[Jordan Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-poole/)

> [I have always said that great players must always play for the great clubs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-higuain/i-have-always-said-that-great-players-must-always-play-for-the-great/)

[Gonzalo Higuain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-higuain/)

> [I think great players can play in any year, that's why they're great. A lot of it is down to the mental approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rush/i-think-great-players-can-play-in-any-year-that-s-why-they-re-great-a/)

[Ian Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rush/)

> [We all know in big games, great players have to play great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-plum/we-all-know-in-big-games-great-players-have-to-play-great/)

[Kelsey Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-plum/)

> [It's just something about great players when they play in certain arenas or against other great players. They elevate their play. LeBron is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/it-s-just-something-about-great-players-when-they-play-in-certain/)

[Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/)

> [You always have competition and great players who can play. The winner in that case is Paris Saint-Germain. With great players, even if a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-moura/you-always-have-competition-and-great-players-who-can-play-the-winner/)

[Lucas Moura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-moura/)

> [The difference of great players is at a certain point in a match they raise their level of play and maintain it. Lesser players…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sampras/the-difference-of-great-players-is-at-a-certain-point-in-a-match-they/)

[Pete Sampras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sampras/)

> [Great players play all matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/great-players-play-all-matches/)

[Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/)

> [I think back into when I was in college coming out, what I had to go through, the steps I had to make. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-amendola/i-think-back-into-when-i-was-in-college-coming-out-what-i-had-to-go/)

[Danny Amendola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-amendola/)

## More by Christian McCaffrey

> [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/)

> [People do the eye test and underestimate me, so I do play with a chip on my shoulder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/people-do-the-eye-test-and-underestimate-me-so-i-do-play-with-a-chip/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [I think you can get better at everything. That's in football. That's in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/i-think-you-can-get-better-at-everything-that-s-in-football-that-s-in/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [Sometimes a 1-yard gain on third-and-1 is a big play. People take that for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/sometimes-a-1-yard-gain-on-third-and-1-is-a-big-play-people-take-that/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [The big plays will come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/the-big-plays-will-come/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [I would definitely like the ball as much as possible... That's why I train.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/i-would-definitely-like-the-ball-as-much-as-possible-that-s-why-i/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [Maybe at some level, even at an early age, without ever being aware of it, I was reacting to something. To people judging me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/maybe-at-some-level-even-at-an-early-age-without-ever-being-aware-of/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [We're here to win football games, so whatever that means, whatever that takes, that's what we're going to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/we-re-here-to-win-football-games-so-whatever-that-means-whatever-that/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [Sometimes you'll have 30, 40 touches in the game, and you'll feel better than if you had 22. It depends on where you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/sometimes-you-ll-have-30-40-touches-in-the-game-and-you-ll-feel/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [I'm someone who believes in having motivation at all times, win or lose, individual awards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/i-m-someone-who-believes-in-having-motivation-at-all-times-win-or/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [The goal every offseason is just to get as fast as you can, stay healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/the-goal-every-offseason-is-just-to-get-as-fast-as-you-can-stay/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [I think when you're running through a hole and you're hit in certain, different ways, you have to be able to move and change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/i-think-when-you-re-running-through-a-hole-and-you-re-hit-in-certain/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [Some of my best childhood memories are of watching Terrell Davis with my dad. I used to hang out when I was, like, 4…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/some-of-my-best-childhood-memories-are-of-watching-terrell-davis-with/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [A win's a win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/a-win-s-a-win/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

> [Wherever they put me I'll do anything a team needs me to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/wherever-they-put-me-i-ll-do-anything-a-team-needs-me-to-do/)

[Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

[Explore all 98 Christian McCaffrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/)

## More Always quotes

> [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/)

[Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/)

> [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/)

[Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/)

[William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/)

[Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/)

> [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've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/)

[Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/)

[Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/)

Browse all 36,048 Always quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Great players always play with a chip on their shoulder no matter if they have a reason to or not.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christian McCaffrey"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on-their-shoulder-no-matter-if/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Always"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on-their-shoulder-no-matter-if/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/christian-mccaffrey-6471_always_great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on_2004265.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/christian-mccaffrey-6471_always_great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on_2004265.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/christian-mccaffrey-6471_always_great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on_2004265.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Great players always play with a chip on their shoulder no matter if they have a reason to or not.” — Christian McCaffrey",
                "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": "Christian McCaffrey",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Great players always play with a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on-their-shoulder-no-matter-if/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/great-players-always-play-with-a-chip-on-their-shoulder-no-matter-if/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
