Today is the 17th anniversary of Herm Edwards’ famous “play to win the game” speech when he was coaching the New York Jets.
Following a blowout loss during the 2002 season to the Browns, Edwards ripped his team to shreds to the media on October 30 as he talked about playing to win the game.
It led to his most famous saying, which I repeat all the time. “You play to win the game,” Edwards ranted. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Watch the whole clip below.
“You play to win the game!”@HermEdwards gave us his iconic postgame speech 17 years ago today. The @nyjets had just come off a loss in which they blew an 18-point lead. (Oct. 30, 2002)
They went 7-2 the rest of the way to win the AFC East. #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/BRYCw7S8BV
— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) October 30, 2019
That right there is an all-time great sports speech. It’s without a doubt in the top 10, and probably belongs in the top 5.
He was fired up, he got straight to the point, and he dropped a line that his now legendary in the world of football.
You don’t just play to play! This is football! If you’re not taking the field to win the damn thing, then why are you even there?
Unfortunately athletes have gotten a shade soft in our current era, and they don’t exactly handle criticism too well.
Fortunately for them, Edwards is coaching at ASU and is leading young men.
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Props to Edwards for giving us one of the greatest rants ever. It’s one we’ll never forget.