--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe you can't play over your head at…" description: "\"Maybe you can't play over your head at all. Maybe it's just potential you never knew you had.\" — Fran Tarkenton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/fran-tarkenton-21545_athlete_maybe-you-can-t-play-over-your-head-at-a_2023597.png" --- # Maybe you can't play over your head at all. Maybe it's… ![“Maybe you can't play over your head at all. Maybe it's just potential you never knew you had.” quote by Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/fran-tarkenton-21545_athlete_maybe-you-can-t-play-over-your-head-at-a_2023597.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/fran-tarkenton-21545_athlete_maybe-you-can-t-play-over-your-head-at-a_2023597.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/fran-tarkenton-21545_athlete_maybe-you-can-t-play-over-your-head-at-a_2023597.png) > “Maybe you can't play over your head at all. Maybe it's just potential you never knew you had.” [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unrealized potential may be hidden; recognizing it can inspire growth. **In simple terms:** Potential may be hidden. Key Takeaway Identify and develop hidden talents. Themes potential selfdiscovery growth Mood encouraging optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - sports training - personal development - education Key Concepts selfefficacy motivation Questions to Reflect On - What hidden talent could you nurture? - How can you test your untapped potential? A Different Perspective Potential alone doesn’t guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Head Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-maybe-337659/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Just Potential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-potential-900566/) [Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe/) [Over you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over-you/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Potential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potential/) [Potential Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potential-knew-3677876/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [“Magic is just potential for creation. It follows no rules and breaks them all”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-ryan/magic-is-just-potential-for-creation-it-follows-no-rules-and-breaks/) [Carrie Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-ryan/) > [I just see potential in things that aren't there and how it's going to make you feel. Like, if it makes me feel a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldlink/i-just-see-potential-in-things-that-aren-t-there-and-how-it-s-going/) [Goldlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldlink/) > [I'm no politician but I'd love, even just with my potential future platform, to help make for a better future for the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-young/i-m-no-politician-but-i-d-love-even-just-with-my-potential-future/) [Lola Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-young/) > [You don't love me, you just see potential which you can exploit to you benefit in future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/you-don-t-love-me-you-just-see-potential-which-you-can-exploit-to-you/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [When I watch dance, most of the time I just see a potential that is not there at all. I just see they missed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/when-i-watch-dance-most-of-the-time-i-just-see-a-potential-that-is/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [Potential is just potential until you can pull it off, and you need to show up ready to exercise the plan in mind. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karrion-kross/potential-is-just-potential-until-you-can-pull-it-off-and-you-need-to/) [Karrion Kross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karrion-kross/) > [...poor people are just as human as anyone else. They have just as much potential as anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/poor-people-are-just-as-human-as-anyone-else-they-have-just-as-much/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [If you can't get someone out of you head maybe just maybe they belong their...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny/if-you-can-t-get-someone-out-of-you-head-maybe-just-maybe-they-belong/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/destiny/) > [If you can't get some-one out of your head maybe they're suppose to be there.~you get fight your feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/if-you-can-t-get-some-one-out-of-your-head-maybe-they-re-suppose-to/) [Junior Dè Rèál Testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-d-r-l-testament/) > [If you cant get someone out of your head maybe there supposed to be there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talyiah-ngariki/if-you-cant-get-someone-out-of-your-head-maybe-there-supposed-to-be/) [Talyiah Ngariki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talyiah-ngariki/) > [If you can't get someone out of Ur head..maybe they ar supposed To be there!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keren-zhims/if-you-can-t-get-someone-out-of-ur-head-maybe-they-ar-supposed-to-be/) [Keren Zhims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keren-zhims/) > [If you can't get someone out of your head, then maybe they're supposed to be there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-can-t-get-someone-out-of-your-head-then-maybe-they-re-supposed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Things are going round and round in my head--or maybe my head is going round and round in things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-wynne-jones/things-are-going-round-and-round-in-my-head-or-maybe-my-head-is-going/) [Diana Wynne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-wynne-jones/) > [I'm not crazy in my head. Maybe in everybody else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-itzler/i-m-not-crazy-in-my-head-maybe-in-everybody-else-s/) [Jesse Itzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-itzler/) > [I wish I had more hair on my head. Maybe if I sprinkled fertilizer on it, it would grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-bax/i-wish-i-had-more-hair-on-my-head-maybe-if-i-sprinkled-fertilizer-on/) [Kylie Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-bax/) ## More by Fran Tarkenton > [Winning means being unafraid to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/winning-means-being-unafraid-to-lose/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [In sports, teams win and individuals don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/in-sports-teams-win-and-individuals-don-t/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [Quarterbacks need to make their team better. If it's a bad team, they can even make a bad team better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/quarterbacks-need-to-make-their-team-better-if-it-s-a-bad-team-they/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [What's so wonderful about football and business and show business is that every time I start thinking I'm special, I get knocked on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/what-s-so-wonderful-about-football-and-business-and-show-business-is/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [It's perfectly okay to want to quit - as long as you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/it-s-perfectly-okay-to-want-to-quit-as-long-as-you-don-t/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [The failure to be perfect does not mean you are not a success; it is giving your best that helps you to understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/the-failure-to-be-perfect-does-not-mean-you-are-not-a-success-it-is/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [The New York Times Bestseller 'The Amateur,' written by Ed Klein, former editor of the 'New York Times Magazine,' is one of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/the-new-york-times-bestseller-the-amateur-written-by-ed-klein-former/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [Profit isn't and shouldn't be the mission of business. The mission of business is to help people. To help your customers, your co-workers, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/profit-isn-t-and-shouldn-t-be-the-mission-of-business-the-mission-of/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [Ignoring facts does not make them go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/ignoring-facts-does-not-make-them-go-away/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [Success, in my view, is the willingness to strive for something you really want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/success-in-my-view-is-the-willingness-to-strive-for-something-you/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [Success, in my view, is the willingness to strive for something you really want. The person not reaching the top is no less a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/success-in-my-view-is-the-willingness-to-strive-for-something-you-2/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [If football taught me anything about business, it is that you win the game one play at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/if-football-taught-me-anything-about-business-it-is-that-you-win-the/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [Great quarterbacks, good quarterbacks, make plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/great-quarterbacks-good-quarterbacks-make-plays/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [None of us really pushes hard enough. People always talk about playing over your head when you are up against someone really good. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/none-of-us-really-pushes-hard-enough-people-always-talk-about-playing/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [I discovered that the more I hustled, the luckier I seemed to get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/i-discovered-that-the-more-i-hustled-the-luckier-i-seemed-to-get/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) [Explore all 29 Fran Tarkenton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Maybe you can't play over your head at all. 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