--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not normal when you finish playing…" description: "\"It's not normal when you finish playing collegiate ball to be able to jump right into the NFL and work for Jon Gruden. That doesn't happen if you don't..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/sean-mcvay-11068_connections_it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing_1044752.jpg" --- # It's not normal when you finish playing collegiate ball to… ![“It's not normal when you finish playing collegiate ball to be able to jump right into the NFL and work for Jon Gruden. That doesn't happen if you don't have your grandfather that has the connections and has earned the respect around this league. And for that, I feel very fortunate.” quote by Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/sean-mcvay-11068_connections_it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing_1044752.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/sean-mcvay-11068_connections_it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing_1044752.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/sean-mcvay-11068_connections_it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing_1044752.jpg) > “It's not normal when you finish playing collegiate ball to be able to jump right into the NFL and work for Jon Gruden. That doesn't happen if you don't have your grandfather that has the connections and has earned the respect around this league. And for that, I feel very fortunate.” [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges that entering the NFL often requires family connections and respect, feeling fortunate for the opportunity. **In simple terms:** NFL entry often depends on connections and respect. Key Takeaway Recognize and appreciate your advantage. Themes career advancement networking privilege Mood grateful realistic Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - job interviews - team hiring - mentorship programs - industry networking Key Concepts social capital meritocracy Questions to Reflect On - How can the industry become more merit‑based? - What can newcomers do without connections? A Different Perspective Not everyone has such access, creating inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Life isn't about a hand-out. That's not what the NFL is about and that won't get you in the NFL or take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-dickerson/life-isn-t-about-a-hand-out-that-s-not-what-the-nfl-is-about-and-that/) [Eric Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-dickerson/) > [I think you have to every day as an NFL player. I think you have to go out there... and show that you earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-webb/i-think-you-have-to-every-day-as-an-nfl-player-i-think-you-have-to-go/) [Davis Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-webb/) > [I've loved every second of playing my first season in the Premier League. I feel like I belong here, and this is the level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-maddison/i-ve-loved-every-second-of-playing-my-first-season-in-the-premier/) [James Maddison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-maddison/) > [We all want to prove ourselves in this league. We feel like we can compete with the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ja-morant/we-all-want-to-prove-ourselves-in-this-league-we-feel-like-we-can/) [Ja Morant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ja-morant/) > [Anybody can go out and have a couple good games. But to produce game in and game out is the most difficult thing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/anybody-can-go-out-and-have-a-couple-good-games-but-to-produce-game/) [David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/) > [You can be in the league and still feel like you're not in the league. That was the point I was at when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-tucker/you-can-be-in-the-league-and-still-feel-like-you-re-not-in-the-league/) [P. J. Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-tucker/) > [I took a predraft visit with the Chiefs back in the day coming into the league and I feel like everything went really well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-minshew/i-took-a-predraft-visit-with-the-chiefs-back-in-the-day-coming-into/) [Gardner Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-minshew/) > [I have grown so much since I started in this league and it's something that I feel that every single year I'm always learning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/i-have-grown-so-much-since-i-started-in-this-league-and-it-s/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [I want to go back to play in the Premier League. I feel it's where I belong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-etheridge/i-want-to-go-back-to-play-in-the-premier-league-i-feel-it-s-where-i/) [Neil Etheridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-etheridge/) > [There is hope to catch up, as long as Leeds get to the Premier League. I feel with a project an idea and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-radrizzani/there-is-hope-to-catch-up-as-long-as-leeds-get-to-the-premier-league/) [Andrea Radrizzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-radrizzani/) > [It's always been an ambition of mine to play in the Premier League and I feel, if I moved to Wolves then I'd have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lafferty/it-s-always-been-an-ambition-of-mine-to-play-in-the-premier-league/) [Kyle Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lafferty/) > [I can't speak for anyone else, but I know how good I have it. You can't find a much better job than this. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-parish/i-can-t-speak-for-anyone-else-but-i-know-how-good-i-have-it-you-can-t/) [Robert Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-parish/) > [I think, as a rookie, what guys need to be judged on most coming in the league is feel. Not skill, not shooting, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/i-think-as-a-rookie-what-guys-need-to-be-judged-on-most-coming-in-the/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [League Two still has a non-league feel about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-gayle/league-two-still-has-a-non-league-feel-about-it/) [Dwight Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-gayle/) > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## More by Sean McVay > [You look at Matt LaFleur and where he's been. It seems like successful quarterback play follows him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/you-look-at-matt-lafleur-and-where-he-s-been-it-seems-like-successful/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [It's always a consistent approach of trying to get better, listening and learning from everybody else, and then that will help you become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/it-s-always-a-consistent-approach-of-trying-to-get-better-listening/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [I have no life - other than I love football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/i-have-no-life-other-than-i-love-football/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [I love being in a city with great weather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/i-love-being-in-a-city-with-great-weather/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [Matt LaFleur's a great coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/matt-lafleur-s-a-great-coach/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [There is a mutual respect that exists between coaches and players, and ultimately, it's about us trying to help them reach their highest potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/there-is-a-mutual-respect-that-exists-between-coaches-and-players-and/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to be a head coach at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/i-d-be-lying-if-i-said-i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-head-coach-at-some-point/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [I think once you stop learning, you're going to stop growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/i-think-once-you-stop-learning-you-re-going-to-stop-growing/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [With any player, especially at quarterback, I don't care if you're talking Tom Brady or Peyton Manning or Drew Brees: you want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/with-any-player-especially-at-quarterback-i-don-t-care-if-you-re/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [It's very important, when you talk about a player like an Aaron Donald, 'Hey, here comes Ndamukong. How do you feel about a player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/it-s-very-important-when-you-talk-about-a-player-like-an-aaron-donald/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [My grandfather has a whole lot of respect for Coach Carroll and the way he handled himself and the contributions he made to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/my-grandfather-has-a-whole-lot-of-respect-for-coach-carroll-and-the/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [What I didn't realize is, getting out to L.A., you realize how normal it is, especially if you go eat or have dinner in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/what-i-didn-t-realize-is-getting-out-to-l-a-you-realize-how-normal-it/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [I would say that I probably remember football stuff... but it's not like you see it once and then it's just there. I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/i-would-say-that-i-probably-remember-football-stuff-but-it-s-not-like/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [I probably don't have any room in my mind for anything but football. My dad tells me I'm a total vegetable outside of just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/i-probably-don-t-have-any-room-in-my-mind-for-anything-but-football/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [To be able to win a state championship my senior year with the coaches and with some of my closest friends in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/to-be-able-to-win-a-state-championship-my-senior-year-with-the/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) [Explore all 62 Sean McVay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) ## More Connections quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I wouldn't want to play a normal princess who always walks around in nice dresses. I never had a connection to it when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-wouldn-t-want-to-play-a-normal-princess-who-always-walks-around-in/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [If our homes should provide anything, they should provide a sense of who we are and how we got here, a sense of connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-conran/if-our-homes-should-provide-anything-they-should-provide-a-sense-of/) [Terence Conran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-conran/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [I love using the latest technologies to make life more efficient, but I don't want to advocate that technology replaces the need to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-webb/i-love-using-the-latest-technologies-to-make-life-more-efficient-but/) [Maynard Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-webb/) > [Synchronicity reveals the meaningful connections between the subjective and objective world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/synchronicity-reveals-the-meaningful-connections-between-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Half of the pleasure of painting and feeling the joy of the creative act is sharing it with others and the feeling of connection.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/half-of-the-pleasure-of-painting-and-feeling-the-joy-of-the-creative/) [Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/) > [On the road, I try to maintain my connections with friends and family as much as I possibly can. That keeps me pretty grounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-scaggs/on-the-road-i-try-to-maintain-my-connections-with-friends-and-family/) [Noelle Scaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-scaggs/) > [I'm from California, but my father, who passed away when I was young, was from Newark. When I was kid, we would go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-daly/i-m-from-california-but-my-father-who-passed-away-when-i-was-young/) [Carson Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-daly/) > [I'm uninterested in superheroes. I am only interested in real stories, real people, real connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-curtis/i-m-uninterested-in-superheroes-i-am-only-interested-in-real-stories/) [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-curtis/) > [Souls love. That’s what souls do. Egos don’t, but souls do. Become a soul, look around, and you’ll be amazed-all the beings around you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/souls-love-that-s-what-souls-do-egos-don-t-but-souls-do-become-a-soul/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) [Browse all 2,951 Connections quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not normal when you finish playing collegiate ball to be able to jump right into the NFL and work for Jon Gruden. That doesn't happen if you don't have your grandfather that has the connections and has earned the respect around this league. And for that, I feel very fortunate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sean McVay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing-collegiate-ball-to-be-able-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Connections" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing-collegiate-ball-to-be-able-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/sean-mcvay-11068_connections_it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing_1044752.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/sean-mcvay-11068_connections_it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing_1044752.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/sean-mcvay-11068_connections_it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing_1044752.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's not normal when you finish playing collegiate ball to be able to jump right into the NFL and work for…” — Sean McVay", "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 McVay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's not normal when you finish...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing-collegiate-ball-to-be-able-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/it-s-not-normal-when-you-finish-playing-collegiate-ball-to-be-able-to/#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 } } ] } ```