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.
— Khalil Mack
I love the Bay. I was there for four years.
You can receive the individual awards, but ultimately, you want to win the big game.
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.
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.
Man, I pull up to Home Goods, and people are waiting on me in the parking lot.
The ball is the most important thing on the field.
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.
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.
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.
Eddie Jackson - that's my dog.
It's always cool to go back to where you played in college.
Everybody kind of recognizes you. It's a good feeling.
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.
Whenever we were on the road when I was younger, I remember my father pointing out the trucks that had 'Mack' on them.
Big game, under the lights - these are the games you live for.
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 had some good OGs, from Charles Woodson to Justin Tuck to Antonio Smith.
I like to keep my thoughts private.
My workouts start with a really good stretching session.
I have a big head, so I can appreciate a good hat.
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.
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.
That's something you want to preach throughout the whole defense - getting the ball back to the offense.
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.
I hate losing.
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.'
I'm trying to get better every week.
I love to compete against the best.
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.
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.
Seeing somebody get what they earned is always a blessing.
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.
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.
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.
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'm always looking at film, studying myself, comparing and contrasting with film of the great linebackers to see what I need to work on.
When you've got a chance, you've got to capitalize.
My dad was a big dude.
God is good, man.
Consistency is what you want, especially from a defense on the road.
That's a good feeling, knowing that I can finally get everything situated and that I had the time to get things situated.
Coach Staley definitely had me doing overtime. It has been fun, though, man.
My father instilled those hard-working values.
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.
I'm a competitor.
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.
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.
The thing about football, man - it's a team game.
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.
