You've just got to ride the wave of the season and ride the wave of life. You can't get too high and too low.
Khalil Mack
I have a big head, so I can appreciate a good hat.
I want to be the best at what I do, and that's just me. That's what comes with Mack.
Just understand that I'm trying to get to the quarterback by any means necessary. And if I have to throw somebody out of the way to do it, it is what it is.
I'm going to come in and be a hard worker, and I'm going to try to lead by example and be a great teammate, and everything on the field is going to take care of itself.
My workouts start with a really good stretching session.
I had some good OGs, from Charles Woodson to Justin Tuck to Antonio Smith.
When you've got a chance, you've got to capitalize.
I like looking at the negative stuff. Because it fuels me. It lights a fire that's going to be burning for a long time.
I always preach this to people, even my teammates and family: 'Always know someone's working harder than you, trying to get that spot you have.' That's what drives me.
I like to grind and not think too much about the good stuff. I like to focus on the stuff I need to get better at.
Whenever we were on the road when I was younger, I remember my father pointing out the trucks that had 'Mack' on them.
That's something you want to preach throughout the whole defense - getting the ball back to the offense.
One of my best friends got recruited to go to Miami, and another one went to South Florida. You're talking about two big schools in Florida, and I had to go all the way up to Buffalo. I was like, 'OK, I have to put in some more work.' That's just the way it has been ever since.
It was tough for me not to play, but it was cool. But it was tough because I'm a competitor, and I like to be out there with my guys. That's all it's about for me.
You can receive the individual awards, but ultimately, you want to win the big game.
The NCAA game, the first one that I was on, I was rated a 46 with 37 speed. It was a slap in the face. I knew deep down in my heart I was better than a 46.
It's always cool to go back to where you played in college.
I hate losing.
I knew I wanted to come in and make an impact, but, ultimately, you want to come in and win. That's all I care about.
I love the Bay. I was there for four years.
Consistency is what you want, especially from a defense on the road.
The thing about football, man - it's a team game.
It's always in your mind, because that's the goal - you want to definitely be in the playoffs. But at the same time, it's not easy to do. It's no easy task, and the challenge is to go out and try to clinch that, by any means.
I'm a competitor.
When you do something, do it right the first time... When you're talking about hard-working, when you go out of your way to mop floors and strip them and do all those things, it's kind of like, 'Dang.'
Eddie Jackson - that's my dog.
I'm trying to get better every week.
It's how I was raised. My parents put me in a nice position, but that's all it is - a nice position. You've got to put in the work. You've got to humble yourself.
You could talk about potential all day. Nobody really cares about it on the football field. You want to come out and win these games. That's the only thing that matters.
I've always thought of myself as the best defensive player in the league, and I want to play like the best defensive player in the league.
Big game, under the lights - these are the games you live for.
Seeing somebody get what they earned is always a blessing.
I can't give my secrets away. But I've definitely been putting in a lot of work, and you can kind of see that it pays off a little bit.
I love the game of football. That's what I'm all about.
My father instilled those hard-working values.
When you win, it's definitely there. The energy definitely goes up. That's the way you want to keep it. That's the way we love it around here in Chicago.
I'm not surprised by much in this league. You see and hear all kinds of stuff, you never know what can happen.
It's just being me, man... If you get caught up in people saying you're good and people saying this or that, good or bad, it can kind of wear on you. Or it'll make you feel like you're better than what you are.
I like to go out and use my actions to speak, you know, and when I get out there and get on the field, you can probably sense what's going to happen.
The great thing is, it's not just about me and my impact. What you want to do is come in here and be a great teammate, lead by your excellence. That's all I've been trying to do.
You could kind of guess if you bring in Peanut Tillman to the defensive team meeting - yeah, it's all about turnovers and getting after the ball.
Everybody kind of recognizes you. It's a good feeling.
I love to compete against the best.
I felt like a coach. I just wanted to do what I could as far as helping guys understand what was going to happen early and get the best feedback I could and be a great teammate.
Coach Staley definitely had me doing overtime. It has been fun, though, man.
That's a good feeling, knowing that I can finally get everything situated and that I had the time to get things situated.
I didn't know Chicago was so aggressive. It's real aggressive out here. Everybody kind of recognizes you out here. But it's a good feeling.
No matter where I'm at - Home Goods, it could be a mother of two, and she'll be a fan, and it's, like, random as hell to me.
The ball is the most important thing on the field.
