--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If they play dirty, then you play dirty." description: "\"If they play dirty, then you play dirty.\" — Lawrence Taylor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/lawrence-taylor-17745_dirty_if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty-1_1935737.jpg" --- # If they play dirty, then you play dirty. ![“If they play dirty, then you play dirty.” quote by Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/lawrence-taylor-17745_dirty_if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty-1_1935737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/lawrence-taylor-17745_dirty_if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty-1_1935737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/lawrence-taylor-17745_dirty_if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty-1_1935737.jpg) > “If they play dirty, then you play dirty.” [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adopt the same tactics as your opponent when they act unethically, mirroring their approach to survive. **In simple terms:** Match dirty tactics with dirty tactics. Key Takeaway Use comparable methods in hostile situations. Themes ethics strategy competition Mood defensive pragmatic Type advice strategic When to use this quote - Sports rivalry - business negotiations - political campaigns - street conflicts Key Concepts Reciprocity Moral relativism Questions to Reflect On - Is retaliation justified? - What are long‑term costs of mirroring? A Different Perspective Mimicking unethical behavior can erode personal integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirty/) [Dirty Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirty-play-805515/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Dirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-dirty-1126869/) ## Related quotes > [I think it just kind of comes naturally to me. I feel like I've been coached that way my whole life - to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-shockey/i-think-it-just-kind-of-comes-naturally-to-me-i-feel-like-i-ve-been/) [Jeremy Shockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-shockey/) > [Eleven years in the league, I haven't had a dirty play. I haven't made a name in this league by playing that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/eleven-years-in-the-league-i-haven-t-had-a-dirty-play-i-haven-t-made/) [Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/) > [I'm not trying to be dirty. I'm out there to play basketball and not fight. But if it comes to the situation, one thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaza-pachulia/i-m-not-trying-to-be-dirty-i-m-out-there-to-play-basketball-and-not/) [Zaza Pachulia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaza-pachulia/) > [Look pretty Play dirty :D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farzeen-shah/look-pretty-play-dirty-d/) [Farzeen Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farzeen-shah/) > [We all know what my game is, to play hard. Not dirty, but play hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaza-pachulia/we-all-know-what-my-game-is-to-play-hard-not-dirty-but-play-hard/) [Zaza Pachulia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaza-pachulia/) > [Look pretty..play dirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/look-pretty-play-dirty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I play more than dirty, sweetheart. I play downright filthy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hart/i-play-more-than-dirty-sweetheart-i-play-downright-filthy/) [Emma Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hart/) > [I had a kind of meandering little career, and then I was given a chance to play one of the bottom six in The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-had-a-kind-of-meandering-little-career-and-then-i-was-given-a/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [If you find my aggressive and dominating play dirty, then that's your opinion. But I would assume most people want someone who is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ndamukong-suh/if-you-find-my-aggressive-and-dominating-play-dirty-then-that-s-your/) [Ndamukong Suh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ndamukong-suh/) > [Every time I step onto the field, whether people like it or not, I'm not trying to play dirty - I'm just playing tough.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carli-lloyd/every-time-i-step-onto-the-field-whether-people-like-it-or-not-i-m/) [Carli Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carli-lloyd/) > [“You play dirty, Haley." he breathed. "But this is my show." "I can take care of myself" "Not like I can." "Do you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-croft/you-play-dirty-haley-he-breathed-but-this-is-my-show-i-can-take-care/) [Sydney Croft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-croft/) > [You think I care if you talk behind my back nope but maybe you should check what you tell me cause if you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlynn-smith/you-think-i-care-if-you-talk-behind-my-back-nope-but-maybe-you-should/) [Ashlynn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlynn-smith/) > [“We're ruthless bastards and we always play dirty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alan-gardner/we-re-ruthless-bastards-and-we-always-play-dirty/) [James Alan Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alan-gardner/) > [Play fair, be prepared for others to play dirty, and don't let them drag you into the mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/play-fair-be-prepared-for-others-to-play-dirty-and-don-t-let-them/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) ## More by Lawrence Taylor > [They would almost throw the cops in jail when they tried to arrest me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/they-would-almost-throw-the-cops-in-jail-when-they-tried-to-arrest-me/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [There were probably about five games in my career where everything was moving in slow motion and you could be out there all day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/there-were-probably-about-five-games-in-my-career-where-everything/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [Most of the games don't let you focus too much on the cheerleaders, but I've been watching these girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/most-of-the-games-don-t-let-you-focus-too-much-on-the-cheerleaders/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [LT was just a wilder person. I don't go that route no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/lt-was-just-a-wilder-person-i-don-t-go-that-route-no-more/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [Hopefully the new breed of kids won't have to go through that hard lesson - my kids, my grandkids, my fans' kids, hopefully they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/hopefully-the-new-breed-of-kids-won-t-have-to-go-through-that-hard/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [I don't live that life anymore, it's as simple as that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/i-don-t-live-that-life-anymore-it-s-as-simple-as-that/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [I have a whole different type of lifestyle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/i-have-a-whole-different-type-of-lifestyle/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [People get hurt all the time in the game of football, it's part of what we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/people-get-hurt-all-the-time-in-the-game-of-football-it-s-part-of/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [I'll tell you, there were only a few games in my career where I was totally oblivious to everything around me, where I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/i-ll-tell-you-there-were-only-a-few-games-in-my-career-where-i-was/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [When you get old, everything is hurting. When I get up in the morning, it sounds like I'm making popcorn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/when-you-get-old-everything-is-hurting-when-i-get-up-in-the-morning/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [Football is not a game for the weak of heart, because every day you've got a hundred reasons to take all those pads off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/football-is-not-a-game-for-the-weak-of-heart-because-every-day-you-ve/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [He's a cocky sumbitch. That's what makes him such a great player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/he-s-a-cocky-sumbitch-that-s-what-makes-him-such-a-great-player/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [“I'll never bowl with him again. After he got a strike, he spiked the ball.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/i-ll-never-bowl-with-him-again-after-he-got-a-strike-he-spiked-the/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [Taking them out of the picture, so to speak, what football really is, the savagery, the core root of football, it doesn't change. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/taking-them-out-of-the-picture-so-to-speak-what-football-really-is/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [If I'm going to break them, I'm going to break them both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/if-i-m-going-to-break-them-i-m-going-to-break-them-both/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) [Explore all 36 Lawrence Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) ## More Dirty quotes > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/) [Deon Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deon-taylor/) > [Whenever we touch nature we get clean. People who have got dirty through too much civilization take a walk in the woods, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/whenever-we-touch-nature-we-get-clean-people-who-have-got-dirty/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Dont ever wrestle with a pig u'll both get dirty but the pig will enj0y it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udechukwu-d0navan/dont-ever-wrestle-with-a-pig-u-ll-both-get-dirty-but-the-pig-will/) [Udechukwu D0navan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udechukwu-d0navan/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Staring at the blank page before you, Open up the dirty window, Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-bedingfield/staring-at-the-blank-page-before-you-open-up-the-dirty-window-let-the/) [Natasha Bedingfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-bedingfield/) > [I'm supportive of women, absolutely, and it's so gratifying to have girls come up and say, 'I'm really inspired by your guitar playing.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-vincent/i-m-supportive-of-women-absolutely-and-it-s-so-gratifying-to-have/) [St. Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-vincent/) > [“She's not the enemy. She's just a dirty fighter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/she-s-not-the-enemy-she-s-just-a-dirty-fighter/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [Mr. Bumpy from Bump in the Night was this funky little guy who lived under the bed and thought eating dust bunnies was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/mr-bumpy-from-bump-in-the-night-was-this-funky-little-guy-who-lived/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [My hair is naturally blond and thin, so I like to give it some texture. Sexy, dirty bedhead is good for blonds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malin-akerman/my-hair-is-naturally-blond-and-thin-so-i-like-to-give-it-some-texture/) [Malin Akerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malin-akerman/) > [Good guys need to be a little dirty otherwise they're just boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cassel/good-guys-need-to-be-a-little-dirty-otherwise-they-re-just-boring/) [Vincent Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-cassel/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) [Browse all 1,999 Dirty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If they play dirty, then you play dirty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lawrence Taylor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dirty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/lawrence-taylor-17745_dirty_if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty-1_1935737.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/lawrence-taylor-17745_dirty_if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty-1_1935737.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/lawrence-taylor-17745_dirty_if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty-1_1935737.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If they play dirty, then you play dirty.” — Lawrence Taylor", "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": "Lawrence Taylor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If they play dirty, then you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/if-they-play-dirty-then-you-play-dirty/#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 } } ] } ```