--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that's why we all coach. We don't…" description: "\"I think that's why we all coach. We don't want to admit it, but we coach because we can't play, we could never play or we can no longer play.\" — Mike T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/mike-tomlin-3886_coach_i-think-that-s-why-we-all-coach-we-don-t_537706.png" --- # I think that's why we all coach. We don't want to admit… ![“I think that's why we all coach. We don't want to admit it, but we coach because we can't play, we could never play or we can no longer play.” quote by Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/mike-tomlin-3886_coach_i-think-that-s-why-we-all-coach-we-don-t_537706.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/mike-tomlin-3886_coach_i-think-that-s-why-we-all-coach-we-don-t_537706.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/mike-tomlin-3886_coach_i-think-that-s-why-we-all-coach-we-don-t_537706.png) > “I think that's why we all coach. We don't want to admit it, but we coach because we can't play, we could never play or we can no longer play.” [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Coaching often masks a lack of playing ability; it provides a way to stay involved and influence the game. **In simple terms:** People coach when they can’t play themselves. Key Takeaway Embrace coaching as a leadership role. Themes leadership self-awareness team dynamics Mood analytical pragmatic Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - youth sports - corporate training - mentoring programs Key Concepts sports psychology career transition Questions to Reflect On - Why do you choose to coach instead of playing? - What strengths does coaching reveal? A Different Perspective Coaching may be limited by lack of practical skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [When you play, you do not ask yourself how it feels to be on the bench. You have to live it to understand how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-torres/when-you-play-you-do-not-ask-yourself-how-it-feels-to-be-on-the-bench/) [Fernando Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-torres/) > [The Rockets have a philosophy of what they think their coach should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/the-rockets-have-a-philosophy-of-what-they-think-their-coach-should-be/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [That's one thing you learn as a quarterback: focus. 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The best teams can play longer or have a threat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-southgate/good-decisions-are-not-necessarily-playing-it-short-every-time-you/) [Gareth Southgate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-southgate/) > [I remember when I was a rookie, Jerry Rice, I worked out with him, and he always told me, 'You take less hits, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/i-remember-when-i-was-a-rookie-jerry-rice-i-worked-out-with-him-and/) [DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/) > [-….when things seem to have reached that stage, merely say “I won’t play any longer”, and take your departure; but if you stay, stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-things-seem-to-have-reached-that-stage-merely-say-i-won-t-play/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [If you can play the game later in your career very similar to how you played earlier in your career, then it bodes well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-warner/if-you-can-play-the-game-later-in-your-career-very-similar-to-how-you/) [Kurt Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-warner/) > [In his sophomore year Wilbanks tried out for the high school basketball team and made it. On the first day of practice his coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-g-robbins/in-his-sophomore-year-wilbanks-tried-out-for-the-high-school/) [Lynn G. Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-g-robbins/) > [Messi would never tell a coach who he has to play or not. I think he not only lacks the power to do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-tevez/messi-would-never-tell-a-coach-who-he-has-to-play-or-not-i-think-he/) [Carlos Tevez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-tevez/) > [I will always try to give my best and convince the coach that I should play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/i-will-always-try-to-give-my-best-and-convince-the-coach-that-i/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [I'm going to try to get our team to work hard, play together, play with good fundamentals and technique, play as a team, try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-flores/i-m-going-to-try-to-get-our-team-to-work-hard-play-together-play-with/) [Brian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-flores/) > [As a young player the most important thing besides having a very good coach is to play a lot because you improve that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-kimmich/as-a-young-player-the-most-important-thing-besides-having-a-very-good/) [Joshua Kimmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-kimmich/) ## More by Mike Tomlin > [I shaped my reputation in this business and this outlook in this business being singularly focused on the task at hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/i-shaped-my-reputation-in-this-business-and-this-outlook-in-this/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [It's not only a moral obligation, but a social responsibility to leave the game and our vocation better than we found it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/it-s-not-only-a-moral-obligation-but-a-social-responsibility-to-leave/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [I know at least for me, man, I wanted to be the best dad I could be. I was trying to be perfect. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/i-know-at-least-for-me-man-i-wanted-to-be-the-best-dad-i-could-be-i/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [Football is a legitimate humble man's game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/football-is-a-legitimate-humble-man-s-game/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [In the mid-1990s, I was a young offensive coach. 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I never got over that. I take that same energy into coaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/i-wanted-to-be-a-great-player-and-i-wasn-t-i-never-got-over-that-i/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [It's not fun to relocate or get fired or things of that nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/it-s-not-fun-to-relocate-or-get-fired-or-things-of-that-nature/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [People give you good information all the time that are helping you in in your journey. If you're a good listener, you retain those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/people-give-you-good-information-all-the-time-that-are-helping-you-in/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [I'm active in my community. I want to help as many people as I can help. I want to utilize this platform for good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/i-m-active-in-my-community-i-want-to-help-as-many-people-as-i-can/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [You wear on your teammates when they routinely have to answer questions about things that aren't preparation or football-related.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/you-wear-on-your-teammates-when-they-routinely-have-to-answer/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [If changes produce better outcomes or seemingly produce better outcomes, or we feel like it puts us in position to produce better outcomes, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/if-changes-produce-better-outcomes-or-seemingly-produce-better/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) [Explore all 120 Mike Tomlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) ## More Coach quotes > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. 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I was just trying to get that validation from my dad. It got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-was-just-putting-way-too-much-pressure-on-myself-i-was-just-trying/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) > [A lot of the kids gave a lot of positive feedback about if I ever became a coach, they would love to play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/a-lot-of-the-kids-gave-a-lot-of-positive-feedback-about-if-i-ever/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I think it's very important to have contact with the players that I will coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/i-think-it-s-very-important-to-have-contact-with-the-players-that-i/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [Of course, it's always fun when you're winning and you have a great coach, great organization, great trainers, great strength staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gurley/of-course-it-s-always-fun-when-you-re-winning-and-you-have-a-great/) [Todd Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gurley/) > [No one likes a change of coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-azpilicueta/no-one-likes-a-change-of-coach/) [Cesar Azpilicueta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-azpilicueta/) > [As far as being a coach, it's always fascinated me. 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He has told me he believes in me, both in person but also publicly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/mourinho-is-a-great-coach-he-has-told-me-he-believes-in-me-both-in/) [Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/) > [I've grown up playing for some incredible coaches, and I don't think anybody's ever been as fortunate as I have in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brown/i-ve-grown-up-playing-for-some-incredible-coaches-and-i-don-t-think/) [Larry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brown/) [Browse all 2,963 Coach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that's why we all coach. 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