25 Vince Lombardi Quotes on Winning, Discipline, and the Heart of a Champion
Vince Lombardi (1913-1970) was an American football coach who led the Green Bay Packers to five NFL championships in seven years, including victories in the first two Super Bowls. Born to Italian immigrant parents in Brooklyn, he was a devout Catholic whose coaching philosophy blended military discipline, emotional intensity, and an almost religious devotion to excellence. The Super Bowl trophy is named in his honor, and his motivational sayings have become part of the American lexicon. He died of colon cancer at 57, just two years after his greatest triumphs.
On December 31, 1967, in what became known as the "Ice Bowl," Lombardi's Packers faced the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, where the game-time temperature was minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of minus 48 -- making it the coldest NFL game ever played. With 16 seconds remaining and the Packers trailing 17-14, Lombardi called a quarterback sneak from the one-yard line rather than attempting a safer field goal for the tie. "Run it, and let's get the hell out of here," he reportedly told quarterback Bart Starr. Starr scored, the Packers won, and the play became the most famous in NFL history. The decision epitomized Lombardi's philosophy: when the stakes are highest, you attack. As he declared: "The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have." That conviction -- that character is revealed by action under pressure, not by talent or circumstance -- has made Lombardi the most quoted coach in American sports history.
Who Was Vince Lombardi?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Born | June 11, 1913, Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | September 3, 1970 (age 57) |
| Nationality | American |
| Sport | American Football (Coach) |
| Known For | Five NFL championships in seven years, winning the first two Super Bowls, and having the Super Bowl trophy named in his honor |
Key Achievements and Episodes
Transforming the Worst Team in Football Into Champions
When Vince Lombardi became head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1959, the team had won only one game the previous season and was the laughingstock of the NFL. Within two years, he led them to the NFL Championship Game, and in 1961, they won the title. His method was simple but uncompromising: relentless fundamentals, physical conditioning, and an expectation of perfection. He famously drilled one play — the Packers' power sweep — hundreds of times until every player could execute it flawlessly even when opponents knew it was coming. He won five NFL championships in seven years, a record of sustained dominance that has never been matched.
Winning the First Two Super Bowls
Lombardi's Packers won the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders respectively. These victories were considered essential to establishing the legitimacy of the newly merged NFL, as the AFL teams were widely viewed as inferior. In Super Bowl I, Lombardi was so nervous about the stakes that he barely slept the night before, but the Packers won 35-10. After Super Bowl II, a 33-14 victory, Lombardi stepped down as coach to focus on his role as general manager, ending his coaching tenure with a postseason record of 9-1 and cementing his legacy as the standard against which all football coaches are measured.
The Trophy That Bears His Name
After Lombardi's death from colon cancer on September 3, 1970, at age 57, the NFL renamed its championship trophy the Vince Lombardi Trophy. It is the prize awarded to the winner of every Super Bowl, and Lombardi's name is invoked every year as the symbol of championship excellence. His famous declarations — 'Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing' and 'The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have' — became foundational texts of American sports philosophy. His impact extended beyond football: his leadership principles have been studied in business schools and military academies worldwide, and he remains the most quoted coach in American sports history.
Lombardi Quotes on Winning and the Will to Excel
Vince Lombardi's philosophy of winning was not about the scoreboard but about the relentless pursuit of perfection in every aspect of preparation and performance. His famous declaration -- "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing" -- has become one of the most quoted phrases in sports history, though Lombardi himself later clarified that his true meaning was closer to "the will to win is everything." He took over the Green Bay Packers in 1959 when they were the worst team in the NFL, having won just one game the previous season, and within two years led them to the NFL Championship Game. The Packers won five NFL championships in seven years under Lombardi, including the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968, establishing a dynasty that transformed a small Wisconsin city into the most storied franchise in professional football.
"Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit."
Address to the Green Bay Packers, training camp, July 1961, quoted in David Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (Simon & Schuster, 1999)
"Winning isn't everything -- but wanting to win is."
Lombardi's clarification of his most famous quote, as recalled by his wife Marie Lombardi, documented in Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (1999)
"I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle -- victorious."
Speech to the American Management Association, New York, February 1967, quoted in Vince Lombardi Jr., What It Takes to Be #1 (McGraw-Hill, 2001)
"The will to win is not nearly so important as the will to prepare to win."
Remarks to Packers players during film study, 1962 season, quoted in Vince Lombardi with W.C. Heinz, Run to Daylight! (Prentice-Hall, 1963)
"Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser."
Post-game remark recalled by guard Jerry Kramer in Instant Replay: The Green Bay Diary of Jerry Kramer (World Publishing, 1968)
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."
Address to the American Management Association, New York, February 1967, quoted in Vince Lombardi Jr., What It Takes to Be #1 (2001)
"If you can accept losing, you can't win."
Speech to the Packers before the 1961 NFL Championship Game, quoted in Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (1999)
Lombardi Quotes on Discipline and Preparation
Lombardi's discipline was rooted in his upbringing as the son of Italian immigrants in Brooklyn and his Jesuit education at Fordham University, where he played on the famous "Seven Blocks of Granite" offensive line. His coaching methods combined military-style discipline with an emotional intensity that could reduce grown men to tears, yet his players universally revered him because they recognized that his demands were motivated by genuine love and a belief in their potential. The Packers' signature play, the "Power Sweep," was practiced so relentlessly that opposing teams knew it was coming and still could not stop it -- a testament to Lombardi's belief that perfect execution of fundamentals trumped strategic innovation. His insistence on punctuality was so strict that "Lombardi time" -- arriving fifteen minutes early -- became a cultural shorthand for professionalism and respect.
"Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect."
Instruction to Packers players during practice, recalled by quarterback Bart Starr in Starr: My Life in Football (William Morrow, 1987)
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."
Speech to the Green Bay Packers, training camp, 1961, quoted in Vince Lombardi Jr., What It Takes to Be #1 (2001)
"Gentlemen, this is a football."
Opening line of Lombardi's first address to the Packers, training camp, July 1959, holding a football aloft to emphasize the importance of mastering fundamentals; documented in Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (1999)
"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor."
Corporate speaking engagement, Chicago, 1968, quoted in Vince Lombardi Jr., What It Takes to Be #1 (2001)
"Fatigue makes cowards of us all."
Repeated often to Packers players during conditioning drills, quoted in Kramer, Instant Replay (1968) and in Run to Daylight! (1963)
"Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile."
Speech to the American Management Association, New York, 1967, quoted in Vince Lombardi Jr., What It Takes to Be #1 (2001)
"Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit."
Training camp address, Green Bay, July 1960, recalled by fullback Jim Taylor in Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (1999)
Lombardi Quotes on Teamwork and Character
Lombardi's emphasis on teamwork and collective sacrifice was reflected in his roster management, where he consistently chose players of strong character over those with superior physical talent. His relationship with his players was built on mutual respect and shared purpose, and stars like Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, and Jerry Kramer have spoken extensively about how Lombardi's leadership transformed them not only as athletes but as men. The Ice Bowl of December 31, 1967, when Lombardi's Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in minus-13-degree temperatures on a frozen Lambeau Field, produced one of the most iconic moments in NFL history: Bart Starr's quarterback sneak for the game-winning touchdown with 13 seconds remaining, a play called by Lombardi himself. The game exemplified Lombardi's belief that mental toughness and commitment could overcome any obstacle.
"Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."
Speech to the American Management Association, New York, 1967, quoted in Vince Lombardi Jr., What It Takes to Be #1 (2001)
"People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society."
Corporate speaking engagement, Milwaukee, 1968, quoted in Vince Lombardi Jr., What It Takes to Be #1 (2001)
"It is essential to understand that battles are primarily won in the hearts of men."
Speech at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York, National Football Foundation dinner, December 1962, quoted in Vince Lombardi Jr., What It Takes to Be #1 (2001)
"The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have."
Pregame address, 1966 NFL Championship Game, quoted in Vince Lombardi Jr., What It Takes to Be #1 (2001)
"Mental toughness is many things and rather difficult to explain. Its qualities are sacrifice and self-denial. Also, most importantly, it is combined with a perfectly disciplined will that refuses to give in."
Recorded comments for NFL Films, 1967, preserved in the NFL Films Archive, quoted in Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (1999)
"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up."
Halftime address to the Packers, 1960 season, recalled by defensive end Willie Davis in Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (1999)
Lombardi Quotes on Commitment, Sacrifice, and the Meaning of the Game
Lombardi died of colon cancer on September 3, 1970, at the age of 57, just two years after winning his final championship. The NFL immediately renamed the Super Bowl trophy in his honor, and the Vince Lombardi Trophy remains the most coveted prize in American professional sports. Lombardi's legacy extends far beyond football, as his motivational sayings and leadership principles have been adopted by business leaders, military commanders, and educators worldwide. His private life revealed a complexity that his public image did not always convey: despite his Catholic conservatism, Lombardi was an early advocate for tolerance of gay players, telling his coaching staff that there would be "no discrimination on my team" and that anyone who could not accept that was free to leave. This moral courage, combined with his unparalleled record of championship success, ensures his enduring place as the most influential coach in American sports history.
"The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand."
Speech at a United Way fundraising banquet, Green Bay, 1963, quoted in Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (1999)
"The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender."
Pregame speech before the 1967 NFL Championship Game (the "Ice Bowl"), recalled by Bart Starr in Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (1999)
"Football is like life -- it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and respect for authority."
Speech at a Rotary Club luncheon, Green Bay, 1962, documented in Run to Daylight! (1963)
"Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence."
Coaching staff meeting, noted in Run to Daylight! (1963) and frequently repeated in Lombardi's corporate speeches
"The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur."
Final public speech, Washington Redskins organizational dinner, March 1970, quoted in Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered (1999)
Frequently Asked Questions About Vince Lombardi
What is the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the NFL?
The Vince Lombardi Trophy is the trophy awarded annually to the winning team of the Super Bowl, named after Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi following his death in 1970. Lombardi's Packers won the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968, and the trophy was renamed in his honor before Super Bowl V. The trophy is handcrafted by Tiffany & Co. in sterling silver, stands 22 inches tall, weighs approximately 7 pounds, and is valued at approximately $50,000. Unlike other sports championship trophies, a new Lombardi Trophy is created each year, allowing the winning team to keep it permanently.
What was Vince Lombardi's famous quote about winning?
Vince Lombardi's most famous quote is 'Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing,' though the attribution is complicated. The phrase was actually first used by UCLA football coach Red Sanders in the 1950s, but it became indelibly associated with Lombardi after he used it frequently during his coaching career. Lombardi later expressed some regret about the quote, clarifying that what he meant was that the will to win and the commitment to preparation were the only things that mattered, not that winning at all costs was acceptable. Regardless, the quote became the defining motto of competitive sports in America.
What was Vince Lombardi's coaching record with the Green Bay Packers?
Vince Lombardi compiled a regular-season record of 89-29-4 (.754 winning percentage) as head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1959 to 1967. He led the Packers to five NFL championships in seven years (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967) and won the first two Super Bowls. When Lombardi arrived in Green Bay, the Packers had won just one game the previous season and were the worst team in the NFL. His transformation of the franchise from the league's worst to its best in a single season is considered one of the greatest coaching achievements in professional sports history.
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