---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've learned that football sometimes was…"
description: "\"I've learned that football sometimes was an outlet. It was a way for me to release anger, release frustration.\" — Emmitt Smith"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/emmitt-smith-11084_anger_i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was_1371293.jpg"
---

#  I've learned that football sometimes was an outlet. It was…

![“I've learned that football sometimes was an outlet. It was a way for me to release anger, release frustration.” quote by Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/emmitt-smith-11084_anger_i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was_1371293.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/emmitt-smith-11084_anger_i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was_1371293.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/emmitt-smith-11084_anger_i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was_1371293.jpg)

> “I've learned that football sometimes was an outlet. It was a way for me to release anger, release frustration.”

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

## About This Quote

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

Football served as a safe outlet for releasing pent‑up anger and frustration, providing a controlled environment for emotional discharge.

**In simple terms:** Football helped him let out anger and frustration.

Key Takeaway

Use sports or physical activity to channel strong emotions.

Themes

sports emotional health self‑regulation

Mood

motivational reflective

Type

self‑help inspirational

When to use this quote

- team sports
- personal fitness
- stress relief
- rehabilitation

Key Concepts

outlet anger frustration physical activity

Questions to Reflect On

- What other outlets could complement sports for emotional health?
- How does competition affect your emotional release?

A Different Perspective

Physical outlets may not address underlying causes of anger.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration/)

## Related quotes

> [“How do you let go of anger? How do you release a fury you’ve been standing on for so long, you would stumble were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/how-do-you-let-go-of-anger-how-do-you-release-a-fury-you-ve-been-2/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [“How do you let go of anger? How do you release a fury you’ve been standing on for so long, you would stumble if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/how-do-you-let-go-of-anger-how-do-you-release-a-fury-you-ve-been/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [Impressive. Most impressive. Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/impressive-most-impressive-obi-wan-has-taught-you-well-you-have/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you vent anger with the object of spreading your toxic feelings, the result will have nothing to do with healing. Your anger is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-vent-anger-with-the-object-of-spreading-your-toxic-feelings/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [You are not a helpless victim of your own thoughts, but rather a master of your mind. What do you need to let go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/you-are-not-a-helpless-victim-of-your-own-thoughts-but-rather-a/)

[Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/)

> [“When we are in alignment with what we truly believe, we can stand firm and tall and tell it like it is. This healthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-namka/when-we-are-in-alignment-with-what-we-truly-believe-we-can-stand-firm/)

Lynne Namka

> [“You are not required to retaliate against people who do you wrong. Release the anger, forgive them, and move on so that your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/you-are-not-required-to-retaliate-against-people-who-do-you-wrong/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [Whenever there is injustice, there is tension. But in China it is very hard to release your anger unless you burn yourself or you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/whenever-there-is-injustice-there-is-tension-but-in-china-it-is-very/)

[Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/)

> [I just want to touch people's ears. I want to touch people's lives. I want to give them something they can release to towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/i-just-want-to-touch-people-s-ears-i-want-to-touch-people-s-lives-i/)

[Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/)

> [“Can we just be grateful for beauty &amp; joy, fascination &amp; tolerance, humour &amp; love, nature &amp; grace, and simply release any anger and pains?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/can-we-just-be-grateful-for-beauty-joy-fascination-tolerance-humour/)

[Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/)

> [“I was still new to this kind of adrenaline, the immediate release of anger instead of gnawing on it like overdue gum.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/i-was-still-new-to-this-kind-of-adrenaline-the-immediate-release-of/)

[Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/)

> [“What does it mean to forgive someone? It only means that you release the anger, the hatred. It doesn't mean that you’re saying it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/what-does-it-mean-to-forgive-someone-it-only-means-that-you-release/)

[Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/)

> [I have learned in football that you can't trust anyone and if you listen to what everyone says, more often than not it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-butland/i-have-learned-in-football-that-you-can-t-trust-anyone-and-if-you/)

[Jack Butland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-butland/)

> [One of the first lessons I learned in football is that it takes a team to win a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-mata/one-of-the-first-lessons-i-learned-in-football-is-that-it-takes-a/)

[Juan Mata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-mata/)

> [Everything I have experienced and learned in football led me towards one day becoming a coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/everything-i-have-experienced-and-learned-in-football-led-me-towards/)

[Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/)

## More by Emmitt Smith

> [There's a lot of dancing in football. You can see Victor Cruz doing a little bit of a cha-cha or samba move in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/there-s-a-lot-of-dancing-in-football-you-can-see-victor-cruz-doing-a/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [Vision gets the dreams started. Dreaming employs your God-given imagination to reinforce the vision. Both are part of something I believe is absolutely necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/vision-gets-the-dreams-started-dreaming-employs-your-god-given/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [As long as you and I are still breathing, we have a purpose to serve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/as-long-as-you-and-i-are-still-breathing-we-have-a-purpose-to-serve/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [Always, through my whole life, I've had a thirst for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/always-through-my-whole-life-i-ve-had-a-thirst-for-knowledge/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [I've given everything I can possible to the game, on and off the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-ve-given-everything-i-can-possible-to-the-game-on-and-off-the-field/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [Emmitt Smith is someone that I have great respect for - as a player, a competitor and a person. His contributions to the organization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/emmitt-smith-is-someone-that-i-have-great-respect-for-as-a-player-a/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [Sixteen games, to me, is a long enough schedule for anybody. We're already concerning ourselves with head injuries and bodily harm to all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/sixteen-games-to-me-is-a-long-enough-schedule-for-anybody-we-re/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [I enjoyed being a teammate of Deion Sanders. He brings different elements to the game that many people would not even realize, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-enjoyed-being-a-teammate-of-deion-sanders-he-brings-different/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [I don't have to put on shoulder pads and run out there and let somebody hit on me a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-don-t-have-to-put-on-shoulder-pads-and-run-out-there-and-let/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [I don't have to get up in the morning and go beat up my body like I used to. I don't have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-don-t-have-to-get-up-in-the-morning-and-go-beat-up-my-body-like-i/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [History has never seen Emmitt Smith. I don't care what has come before me. That's why they call it history you create new history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/history-has-never-seen-emmitt-smith-i-don-t-care-what-has-come-before/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [The leadership definitely have to come from the leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/the-leadership-definitely-have-to-come-from-the-leaders/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [I used to imagine what it would be like to do what Jim Brown was doing. I used to imagine what it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-used-to-imagine-what-it-would-be-like-to-do-what-jim-brown-was/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [If you're not settled spiritually, things can be a little bit more chaotic than normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/if-you-re-not-settled-spiritually-things-can-be-a-little-bit-more/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

> [I used to send Tony Romo texts throughout the season just to encourage him, just to wish him luck and just to tell him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-used-to-send-tony-romo-texts-throughout-the-season-just-to/)

[Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

[Explore all 61 Emmitt Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/)

## More Anger quotes

> [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/)

[Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/)

> [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/)

[Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/)

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/)

[Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/)

> [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/)

[Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/)

> [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/)

[Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/)

> [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/)

[Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/)

> [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/)

[David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/)

> [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

[Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I've learned that football sometimes was an outlet. It was a way for me to release anger, release frustration.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Emmitt Smith"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was-an-outlet-it-was-a-way-for/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anger"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was-an-outlet-it-was-a-way-for/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/emmitt-smith-11084_anger_i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was_1371293.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/emmitt-smith-11084_anger_i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was_1371293.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/emmitt-smith-11084_anger_i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was_1371293.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I've learned that football sometimes was an outlet. It was a way for me to release anger, release frustration.” — Emmitt 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": "Emmitt Smith",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I've learned that football sometimes was...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was-an-outlet-it-was-a-way-for/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-ve-learned-that-football-sometimes-was-an-outlet-it-was-a-way-for/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
