--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Really, I learned a long time ago that in…" description: "\"Really, I learned a long time ago that in the National Football League, paper doesn't mean anything. Football teams are created on the football field.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/mike-mccarthy-23979_anything_really-i-learned-a-long-time-ago-that-in_571083.jpg" --- # Really, I learned a long time ago that in the National… ![“Really, I learned a long time ago that in the National Football League, paper doesn't mean anything. Football teams are created on the football field.” quote by Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/mike-mccarthy-23979_anything_really-i-learned-a-long-time-ago-that-in_571083.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/mike-mccarthy-23979_anything_really-i-learned-a-long-time-ago-that-in_571083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/mike-mccarthy-23979_anything_really-i-learned-a-long-time-ago-that-in_571083.jpg) > “Really, I learned a long time ago that in the National Football League, paper doesn't mean anything. Football teams are created on the football field.” [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends on performance, not reputation; true value is proven on the field. **In simple terms:** Actions matter more than words; prove yourself through performance. Key Takeaway Focus on results, not image. Themes performance teamwork authenticity Mood determined confident Type motivational practical When to use this quote - business presentations - sports coaching - career advancement Key Concepts Sports psychology leadership meritocracy Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to demonstrate your value? - How do you handle situations where reputation outweighs performance? A Different Perspective Results may be limited by external factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-field/) [Teams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teams/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Writing is an amazing thing. Because paper doesn't tell you to shut up, never ever EVER.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-anske/writing-is-an-amazing-thing-because-paper-doesn-t-tell-you-to-shut-up/) [Ksenia Anske](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-anske/) > [“Unlike a hard drive, paper doesn't crash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/unlike-a-hard-drive-paper-doesn-t-crash/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [I think there's a lot of talent in the Big 12. I think there's a lot of good football teams. It's tough to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-grier/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-talent-in-the-big-12-i-think-there-s-a-lot/) [Will Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-grier/) > [I liken actors and movies and TV shows to football teams. We all have our favorite ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristoffer-polaha/i-liken-actors-and-movies-and-tv-shows-to-football-teams-we-all-have/) [Kristoffer Polaha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristoffer-polaha/) > [I see other teams playing aggressive, attacking football, they are games I switch on and watch. They are the football teams I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelos-postecoglou/i-see-other-teams-playing-aggressive-attacking-football-they-are/) [Angelos Postecoglou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelos-postecoglou/) > [Football teams represent cities and colleges and schools. The people have built great stadiums, and the game is culturally intertwined with our calendar. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/football-teams-represent-cities-and-colleges-and-schools-the-people/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [It brought Pittsburgh into the picture of football teams in the National Football League that, ‘OK, you have to deal with us now.’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-greene/it-brought-pittsburgh-into-the-picture-of-football-teams-in-the/) [Joe Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-greene/) > [I think there's no question the majority of Philadelphia Eagles teams are labeled tough, hard-nosed, physical football teams. I think a large part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kelce/i-think-there-s-no-question-the-majority-of-philadelphia-eagles-teams/) [Jason Kelce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kelce/) > [I don't think you want to be in the most significant moment in time, in a game, and be explaining the nature of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/i-don-t-think-you-want-to-be-in-the-most-significant-moment-in-time/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [When I went to high school in Albuquerque, there weren't many sports in my life. My mom and step dad weren't into sports at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minka-kelly/when-i-went-to-high-school-in-albuquerque-there-weren-t-many-sports/) [Minka Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minka-kelly/) > [In modern football all the teams are capable of getting organised and causing problems. The underdogs are not scared any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/in-modern-football-all-the-teams-are-capable-of-getting-organised-and/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [I think first and foremost, you've got to be able to run the football to be successful in college football. Some teams have thrown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-herman/i-think-first-and-foremost-you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-run-the-football/) [Tom Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-herman/) > [“Football teams that lost their matches can have many other chances to play in successive seasons; but a soul that is lost through death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/football-teams-that-lost-their-matches-can-have-many-other-chances-to/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [This may sound arrogant, but I believe that if we'd done teamship better, we'd still be there. Where we fell down was the inability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-campbell/this-may-sound-arrogant-but-i-believe-that-if-we-d-done-teamship/) [Alastair Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-campbell/) > [If two hitherto rival football teams, under the influence of brotherly love, decided to co-operate in placing the football first beyond one goal and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-two-hitherto-rival-football-teams-under-the-influence-of-brotherly/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More by Mike McCarthy > [You play a team for the second time, you definitely have some familiarity. I think it's beneficial for your players that they have some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/you-play-a-team-for-the-second-time-you-definitely-have-some/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [I'm a big believer in regularity. My father taught me that. Get up early, get your work done, and that's, what, your highest level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/i-m-a-big-believer-in-regularity-my-father-taught-me-that-get-up/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [The domestic violence policy has been given to our players. My personal view is there's no place in our society for it. I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/the-domestic-violence-policy-has-been-given-to-our-players-my/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [I went away to college, and when I came back and was coaching at Pitt, if they would've offered me a 25-year contract to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/i-went-away-to-college-and-when-i-came-back-and-was-coaching-at-pitt/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [Every week, there's a different twist and turn you're not going to see coming, and how you handle that is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/every-week-there-s-a-different-twist-and-turn-you-re-not-going-to-see/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [The performance of your position coaches is obviously more than just the actual statistics of how their players perform. There's insight from relationships you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/the-performance-of-your-position-coaches-is-obviously-more-than-just/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [The reality is, if you're going to have a defeat on the road, Week 1 is probably the best time to have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/the-reality-is-if-you-re-going-to-have-a-defeat-on-the-road-week-1-is/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [When you're losing, there's that survival instinct. But when you're handling success, people think it's easier, and they think losing's harder. But handling success,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/when-you-re-losing-there-s-that-survival-instinct-but-when-you-re/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [Preseason football is hard to evaluate. It's never going to be clean for the quarterbacks. You have to overcome the ugly plays and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/preseason-football-is-hard-to-evaluate-it-s-never-going-to-be-clean/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [I worked at a place that followed a system where the quarterback was taught to take the sack rather than force the throw. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/i-worked-at-a-place-that-followed-a-system-where-the-quarterback-was/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [I hate that 'I got it' stuff. That drives me nuts. It's that natural instinct that everything's OK because you're winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/i-hate-that-i-got-it-stuff-that-drives-me-nuts-it-s-that-natural/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [Throwaways are OK. When a quarterback throws the ball away in our system, that's a plus. That's a plus decision. That's the way I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/throwaways-are-ok-when-a-quarterback-throws-the-ball-away-in-our/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [You build a program; culture is what makes it go. You have to invest in that culture every single day, and that's my big-picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/you-build-a-program-culture-is-what-makes-it-go-you-have-to-invest-in/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [The team that gets to play to their plan is usually the team that has the most success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/the-team-that-gets-to-play-to-their-plan-is-usually-the-team-that-has/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) > [I'm so blessed, and Jessica just does such an incredible job of making everything work, because this is such a selfish profession with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccarthy/i-m-so-blessed-and-jessica-just-does-such-an-incredible-job-of-making/) [Mike McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) [Explore all 25 Mike McCarthy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccarthy/) ## More Anything quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [When it really comes down to it, the job you do is more important and is more representative of who you are than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/when-it-really-comes-down-to-it-the-job-you-do-is-more-important-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/) [Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/) > [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/) [Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/) > [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [Whenever you define family as anything other than a man and a woman married together, you have just introduced an ethical nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/whenever-you-define-family-as-anything-other-than-a-man-and-a-woman/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) Browse all 9,437 Anything quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Really, I learned a long time ago that in the National Football League, paper doesn't mean anything. 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