--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest compliment a coach can get…" description: "\"The greatest compliment a coach can get from another coach around the league is, 'Hey, your guys play hard. They're tough.'\" — Sean McDermott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/sean-mcdermott-14565_coach_the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get_2256405.jpg" --- # The greatest compliment a coach can get from another coach… ![“The greatest compliment a coach can get from another coach around the league is, 'Hey, your guys play hard. They're tough.'” quote by Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/sean-mcdermott-14565_coach_the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get_2256405.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/sean-mcdermott-14565_coach_the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get_2256405.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/sean-mcdermott-14565_coach_the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get_2256405.jpg) > “The greatest compliment a coach can get from another coach around the league is, 'Hey, your guys play hard. They're tough.'” [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Coaches value opponents who play with intensity and resilience, seeing toughness as a compliment. **In simple terms:** Hard‑playing teams earn respect from other coaches. Key Takeaway Cultivate toughness in your team. Themes teamwork resilience competition leadership Mood confident determined Type inspirational strategic When to use this quote - training drills - game strategy - player motivation - season planning Key Concepts sports psychology performance standards Questions to Reflect On - What balance between toughness and skill is ideal? - How does toughness affect player health? A Different Perspective Emphasizing toughness may overlook skill development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Coach Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach-coach-308174/) [Coach League](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach-league-256551/) [Compliment Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliment-coach-5174571/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-tough-837561/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-hard/) [Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough/) ## Related quotes > [Every coach in the league does an unbelievable job, and they're prepared and think you're going to outcoach people, or you think that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/every-coach-in-the-league-does-an-unbelievable-job-and-they-re/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [Coach Casey is hard on me, but it's tough love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-wood/coach-casey-is-hard-on-me-but-it-s-tough-love/) [Christian Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-wood/) > [At heart, I'm still a coach. I'm always a coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/at-heart-i-m-still-a-coach-i-m-always-a-coach/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The captain tag is something that every head coach in this league takes seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cowher/the-captain-tag-is-something-that-every-head-coach-in-this-league/) [Bill Cowher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cowher/) > [The two things that make you a good head coach in this league are if you can get the players to respect you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-fitzpatrick/the-two-things-that-make-you-a-good-head-coach-in-this-league-are-if/) [Ryan Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-fitzpatrick/) > [It's hard enough to coach in this league when you're doing what you believe in. But when you have to try to coach something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/it-s-hard-enough-to-coach-in-this-league-when-you-re-doing-what-you/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I would love to see Flip get back into the league. I think he can definitely still coach in this league. I think he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-garnett/i-would-love-to-see-flip-get-back-into-the-league-i-think-he-can/) [Kevin Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-garnett/) > [I'm a football coach. It seems the league is cyclical and hiring young guys... but experience in the NFL still means a heck of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-holmgren/i-m-a-football-coach-it-seems-the-league-is-cyclical-and-hiring-young/) [Mike Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-holmgren/) > [The hard part about one being tough yet meek is the illusion of being a punching bag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-hard-part-about-one-being-tough-yet-meek-is-the-illusion-of-being/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [We like to play good, hard, tough, aggressive cricket when we're out in the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-smith/we-like-to-play-good-hard-tough-aggressive-cricket-when-we-re-out-in/) [Steve Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-smith/) > [You don't get to the top in professional sport without being hard and tough, but I do that in my way. I don't shout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/you-don-t-get-to-the-top-in-professional-sport-without-being-hard-and/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [“He was hard and tough and wiry - just the sort that won't say die - There was courage in his quick impatient tread;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-paterson/he-was-hard-and-tough-and-wiry-just-the-sort-that-won-t-say-die-there/) [A.B. Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-paterson/) > [I will never give up no matter how hard or tough I think about u every night and day I spread my wings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-gone/i-will-never-give-up-no-matter-how-hard-or-tough-i-think-about-u/) [She's\_gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/she-s-gone/) > [I love hard, and I show tough love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-love-hard-and-i-show-tough-love/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [Marriage is hard, and it can be tough when you're both actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-parish/marriage-is-hard-and-it-can-be-tough-when-you-re-both-actors/) [Sarah Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-parish/) ## More by Sean McDermott > [It is unusual for a coach to call you, just from a fundamental standpoint and say 'hey we're watching what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/it-is-unusual-for-a-coach-to-call-you-just-from-a-fundamental/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [That's a sign of a good football team, where we can adjust and adapt to our surroundings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/that-s-a-sign-of-a-good-football-team-where-we-can-adjust-and-adapt/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [I've always had coaching in my blood. My dad was a college coach at West Chester and Ursinus so I had a feeling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/i-ve-always-had-coaching-in-my-blood-my-dad-was-a-college-coach-at/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Move the ball and score points. If we don't do that, I'm frustrated. Simply put.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/move-the-ball-and-score-points-if-we-don-t-do-that-i-m-frustrated/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [I was a tough player, but I wasn't the most talented player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/i-was-a-tough-player-but-i-wasn-t-the-most-talented-player/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [I used to go with my dad to wash windows at a grocery store on Sunday nights when it was closed because they didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/i-used-to-go-with-my-dad-to-wash-windows-at-a-grocery-store-on-sunday/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [In order to build chemistry you've got to really know one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/in-order-to-build-chemistry-you-ve-got-to-really-know-one-another/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [You've got to win close games in the NFL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/you-ve-got-to-win-close-games-in-the-nfl/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [There's a lot of 'who you know' in this business, and I don't think I skipped a step on the journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/there-s-a-lot-of-who-you-know-in-this-business-and-i-don-t-think-i/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Super Bowl parties are not my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/super-bowl-parties-are-not-my-thing/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [There's a reason the Panthers have been successful over the years and Cam Newton's a big factor in that equation. He does a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/there-s-a-reason-the-panthers-have-been-successful-over-the-years-and/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Being around a couple good tight ends in my history, both in Philadelphia and Carolina, namely in Chad Lewis and then in Greg Olsen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/being-around-a-couple-good-tight-ends-in-my-history-both-in/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [It's a life lesson that translates beyond football. You can share these things with your kids: Work hard, do things the right way and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/it-s-a-life-lesson-that-translates-beyond-football-you-can-share/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Regardless of what you do, or who you have, at the end of the day you have to be able to execute better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/regardless-of-what-you-do-or-who-you-have-at-the-end-of-the-day-you/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Josh Allen has a strong arm, we all know that... I've been around the league to know it's one of the stronger arms, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/josh-allen-has-a-strong-arm-we-all-know-that-i-ve-been-around-the/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) [Explore all 46 Sean McDermott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) ## 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. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Every coach in the league does an unbelievable job, and they're prepared and think you're going to outcoach people, or you think that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/every-coach-in-the-league-does-an-unbelievable-job-and-they-re/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [Everything I have experienced and learned in football led me towards one day becoming a coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/everything-i-have-experienced-and-learned-in-football-led-me-towards/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [Often, organizations don't know how good they have it with a player or coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/often-organizations-don-t-know-how-good-they-have-it-with-a-player-or/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I was just putting way too much pressure on myself. 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. It's a greater responsibility than most people give it credit for because you're dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-prefontaine/as-far-as-being-a-coach-it-s-always-fascinated-me-it-s-a-greater/) [Steve Prefontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-prefontaine/) > [Mourinho is a great coach. 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": "The greatest compliment a coach can get from another coach around the league is, 'Hey, your guys play hard. They're tough.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sean McDermott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get-from-another-coach-around-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coach" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get-from-another-coach-around-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/sean-mcdermott-14565_coach_the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get_2256405.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/sean-mcdermott-14565_coach_the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get_2256405.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/sean-mcdermott-14565_coach_the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get_2256405.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greatest compliment a coach can get from another coach around the league is, 'Hey, your guys play hard…” — Sean McDermott", "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": "Sean McDermott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The greatest compliment a coach can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get-from-another-coach-around-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/the-greatest-compliment-a-coach-can-get-from-another-coach-around-the/#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 } } ] } ```