--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always known being a professional…" description: "\"I've always known being a professional athlete is tough, let alone being a quarterback in the National Football League. There's a lot on you, a lot of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d42/matt-leinart-18462_alone_i-ve-always-known-being-a-professional-a_2513411.jpg" --- # I've always known being a professional athlete is tough… ![“I've always known being a professional athlete is tough, let alone being a quarterback in the National Football League. There's a lot on you, a lot of pressure on you to succeed. You take the glory and you take the falls, but that's what I signed up to do.” quote by Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d42/matt-leinart-18462_alone_i-ve-always-known-being-a-professional-a_2513411.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d42/matt-leinart-18462_alone_i-ve-always-known-being-a-professional-a_2513411.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d42/matt-leinart-18462_alone_i-ve-always-known-being-a-professional-a_2513411.jpg) > “I've always known being a professional athlete is tough, let alone being a quarterback in the National Football League. There's a lot on you, a lot of pressure on you to succeed. You take the glory and you take the falls, but that's what I signed up to do.” [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Professional sports demand extreme physical, mental, and emotional resilience, especially in high‑visibility roles like NFL quarterback. **In simple terms:** Being an NFL quarterback is extremely demanding. Key Takeaway Embrace pressure and learn from both success and failure. Themes sports pressure leadership resilience performance Mood determined reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - training camps - game day decisions - media interviews - career transitions Key Concepts team dynamics mental toughness public scrutiny Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal expectations with team responsibilities? - What strategies help you recover after a setback? A Different Perspective The quote overlooks the support systems and coaching that mitigate pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Professional athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-athlete/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [There are some sacrifices you have to make being a quarterback in the National Football League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/there-are-some-sacrifices-you-have-to-make-being-a-quarterback-in-the/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [It's easy to sit in the press box and say, 'Hey, they should run the ball.' Come down and stand on the sideline with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pederson/it-s-easy-to-sit-in-the-press-box-and-say-hey-they-should-run-the/) [Doug Pederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pederson/) > [That's my job: Not to let my quarterback get hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gurley/that-s-my-job-not-to-let-my-quarterback-get-hit/) [Todd Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gurley/) > [Playing quarterback in the National Football League, getting to the Super Bowl is an incredible challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-palmer/playing-quarterback-in-the-national-football-league-getting-to-the/) [Carson Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-palmer/) > [I never thought I would be the oldest quarterback in the National Football League at one point, not in a million years. I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-moon/i-never-thought-i-would-be-the-oldest-quarterback-in-the-national/) [Warren Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-moon/) > [When I stepped away two springs ago, I just really wanted to shift my priorities to be able to be more available and present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-moore/when-i-stepped-away-two-springs-ago-i-just-really-wanted-to-shift-my/) [Maya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-moore/) > [I am a National Football League player of American Samoan heritage. Because of my status as a professional athlete, I have been blessed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-polamalu/i-am-a-national-football-league-player-of-american-samoan-heritage/) [Troy Polamalu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-polamalu/) > [Even if you don't become a professional athlete, the experience of working with a team, knowing how to set goals, and working every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-moore/even-if-you-don-t-become-a-professional-athlete-the-experience-of/) [Maya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-moore/) > [My heritage is something that I have always been aware of, however, some would say that there is a disproportionately low number of Asians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-adrian/my-heritage-is-something-that-i-have-always-been-aware-of-however/) Nathan Adrian > [Losing is the bane and bugbear of every professional athlete's existence, but in baseball the monster seems to hang closer than in other sports,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-angell/losing-is-the-bane-and-bugbear-of-every-professional-athlete-s/) [Roger Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-angell/) > [Colin Kaepernick is the latest professional athlete to spark a national debate about the meaning behind the American flag and the national anthem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/colin-kaepernick-is-the-latest-professional-athlete-to-spark-a/) Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf > [There's far more that goes into being a professional athlete than being a college athlete. So many differences that people don't realize. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-griffin-iii/there-s-far-more-that-goes-into-being-a-professional-athlete-than/) [Robert Griffin III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-griffin-iii/) > [I'm a successful professional athlete, and whatever I'm going through in my private life would never impact my performance on court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/i-m-a-successful-professional-athlete-and-whatever-i-m-going-through/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [Professional athletes die twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/professional-athletes-die-twice/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [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/) ## More by Matt Leinart > [This is what I feel like I was born to do is play football, and I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/this-is-what-i-feel-like-i-was-born-to-do-is-play-football-and-i-love/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [There are some sacrifices you have to make being a quarterback in the National Football League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/there-are-some-sacrifices-you-have-to-make-being-a-quarterback-in-the/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [I could have become a distraction, pointed fingers, complained, or I could have just worked hard and been prepared, knowing I'm one play from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-could-have-become-a-distraction-pointed-fingers-complained-or-i/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [Hoopsters always look smooth. I'm definitely not smooth! I'm definitely not up there with those guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/hoopsters-always-look-smooth-i-m-definitely-not-smooth-i-m-definitely/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [You kind of look at the timeline of what has happened to me and with having a pretty good rookie year and the second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/you-kind-of-look-at-the-timeline-of-what-has-happened-to-me-and-with/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [I don't know how we judge performance when you have 13 pass attempts to the other guy's 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-don-t-know-how-we-judge-performance-when-you-have-13-pass-attempts/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [I know some teams thought I was too Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-know-some-teams-thought-i-was-too-hollywood/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [I would like to see more pictures of what athletes are doing, like in People. Show athletes hanging out with each other, eating lunch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-would-like-to-see-more-pictures-of-what-athletes-are-doing-like-in/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [Every day is different in real estate, which is why I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/every-day-is-different-in-real-estate-which-is-why-i-love-it/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [Pretty much everywhere I go, people recognize me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/pretty-much-everywhere-i-go-people-recognize-me/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [I love getting dressed up in a nice suit every once in awhile, but every day, I'm in jeans or sweats and a T-shirt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-love-getting-dressed-up-in-a-nice-suit-every-once-in-awhile-but/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [A lot of people don't think I can play. It doesn't really bother me, truthfully. If anything, it just motivates me. It makes me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/a-lot-of-people-don-t-think-i-can-play-it-doesn-t-really-bother-me/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [I'm easy to please. I just need a bed and video games, and I'm set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-m-easy-to-please-i-just-need-a-bed-and-video-games-and-i-m-set/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [I can get dolled up and have some fun from time to time, but I'm a freaking sweats-and-shorts kind of guy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-can-get-dolled-up-and-have-some-fun-from-time-to-time-but-i-m-a/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [Everyone's made mistakes in their life. It just so happens my mistakes are out in the open. But you learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/everyone-s-made-mistakes-in-their-life-it-just-so-happens-my-mistakes/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) [Explore all 34 Matt Leinart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) ## More Alone quotes > [I can be taken away from myself quite easily, I kind of start betraying myself and compromising my integrity, to keep someone else happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-can-be-taken-away-from-myself-quite-easily-i-kind-of-start/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [Perhaps our own opposition to even the level of European integration we have now, let alone any more, is well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/perhaps-our-own-opposition-to-even-the-level-of-european-integration/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [If your goal is to look different, you'll see results faster with strength training than with cardio alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kaiser/if-your-goal-is-to-look-different-you-ll-see-results-faster-with/) [Anna Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kaiser/) > [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' 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I go to sleep when I'm tired, get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/i-should-have-liked-to-get-married-but-over-many-decades-i-have-lived/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [I am not alone in that I've had times of unemployment - unemployment is huge amongst disabled people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/i-am-not-alone-in-that-i-ve-had-times-of-unemployment-unemployment-is/) [Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/) > [I never knew a heart could feel so cold so empty so broken until now , I don't know what to say I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-knew-a-heart-could-feel-so-cold-so-empty-so-broken-until-now/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Real love is a permanently self-enlarging experience…A Journey With My Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luckybannu/real-love-is-a-permanently-self-enlarging-experience-a-journey-with/) Luckybannu > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [I'm used to being alone in a quiet, isolated environment - I'm kind of a low-energy, low-vibration, low-stamina person to begin with - so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-m-used-to-being-alone-in-a-quiet-isolated-environment-i-m-kind-of-a/) [Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/) > [“When I look back at myself at age twenty, what I remember most is being alone and lonely. 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