Friday Night Lights Quotes

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Source: Friday Night Lights

Speaker: Coach Eric Taylor

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

Context

This line was originally spoken by Coach Eric Taylor (played by Kyle Chandler) in an episode of Friday Night Lights, written by Peter Berg (2006-2011).

There's nothing Americans love more than football. And nothing shows that love more than the NBC drama Friday Night Lights, where teenage athletes replace celebrities as the main source of water cooler chatter in Dillon, Texas.

At the heart of the show is Coach Eric Taylor. He motivates the wayward young men on his team to try their hardest with speeches that have real power and don't sound like they came from a Hallmark greeting card.

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" is his signature rallying cry, and is chanted by the Dillon Panthers before every football game. It summarizes Coach Taylor's passion for football and will put a fire in your belly, even if you don't know a tailback from a touchdown.

Where you've heard it

This quote is kind of a shibboleth for Friday Night Lights fans as they reminisce about this great show, and its constantly fluctuating air times and dates.

Additional Notable References:

  • 12 Emmy nominated actors, including Tracy Morgan and Rachel Bloom, put their own spin on this quote in honor of Friday Night Lights' tenth anniversary.
  • President Obama low-key used this quote in his final State of the Union address when he said America was clear eyed and big hearted.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

This is one of the few motivational speeches we don't roll our eyes. Quote away.