---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in the NFL, whenever I got cut…"
description: "\"When I was in the NFL, whenever I got cut from a team I would do paintings of the players, they would pay me $4,000 to $5,000 to do their painting of t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/terry-crews-3470_cutting_when-i-was-in-the-nfl-whenever-i-got-cut_415218.jpg"
---

#  When I was in the NFL, whenever I got cut from a team I…

![“When I was in the NFL, whenever I got cut from a team I would do paintings of the players, they would pay me $4,000 to $5,000 to do their painting of their family, and that's how I survived until another team picked me up.” quote by Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/terry-crews-3470_cutting_when-i-was-in-the-nfl-whenever-i-got-cut_415218.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/terry-crews-3470_cutting_when-i-was-in-the-nfl-whenever-i-got-cut_415218.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/terry-crews-3470_cutting_when-i-was-in-the-nfl-whenever-i-got-cut_415218.jpg)

> “When I was in the NFL, whenever I got cut from a team I would do paintings of the players, they would pay me $4,000 to $5,000 to do their painting of their family, and that's how I survived until another team picked me up.”

[Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

After being cut from NFL teams, he turned to painting portraits for players' families, earning money to sustain himself until another opportunity arose.

**In simple terms:** He used art to survive career setbacks.

Key Takeaway

Use creative skills to bridge gaps.

Themes

resilience creativity career transition

Mood

inspirational pragmatic

Type

motivational career‑focused

When to use this quote

- freelance art
- sports alumni support
- career pivots
- skill diversification

Key Concepts

artistic entrepreneurship networking financial stability

Questions to Reflect On

- What other talents could athletes develop for post‑sports life?
- How can leagues support player transitions?

A Different Perspective

Creative work may not replace stable income long‑term.

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[Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/)

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