Alex Karras Quotes, born Alexander George Karras on July 15, 1935, in Gary, Indiana, was an American football player, professional wrestler, sportscaster, and actor. A four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions (1958–1970), he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020. As an actor, Karras is best known for playing Mongo in Blazing Saddles (1974) and George Papadopolis in the ABC sitcom Webster (1983–1989) alongside his wife, Susan Clark. His larger-than-life personality also shone as a Monday Night Football commentator (1974–1976). These 15 quotes—sourced from his book Even Big Guys Cry (1977), interviews, films, and web sources—reflect his thoughts on toughness, vulnerability, football, and humor, capturing his gritty yet philosophical spirit.
15 Alex Karras Quotes
- “It takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them, more strength to relate to people than to dominate them, more ‘manhood’ to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex. Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles and an immature mind.” (Even Big Guys Cry, 1977)
- “Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles.” (Even Big Guys Cry, 1977)
- “Mongo only pawn in game of life.” (Blazing Saddles, as Mongo, 1974)
- “My best score ever is 103, but I’ve only been playing 15 years.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “I never graduated from Iowa, but I was only there for two terms—Truman’s and Eisenhower’s.” (Citatis, n.d.)
- “Everybody always wanted me to be sorry, I guess, and I am. And I’m tired of it. And I want to play football and, well, if I can’t I’ll have to do something else.” (InspiringQuotes.us, n.d.)
- “You could sit around and feel sorry for yourself or you can go out and do things for others.” (QuoteStats, n.d.)
- “Hey, is this room out of bounds?” (QuoteStats, n.d.)
- “If I had to do it all over again, I’d be a switch-hitter—I’d hit from both sides and confuse everybody.” (Bookey, 2023)
- “Football taught me how to fight for something, but it also taught me when to walk away.” (Bookey, 2023)
- “You don’t get to choose how people see you, but you can choose how you carry yourself.” (Bookey, 2023)
- “Otis Sistrunk looked like he was from the University of Mars.” (Monday Night Football commentary, 1974)
- “Life’s too short to take seriously, but you gotta show up for it anyway.” (AmikQuotes, n.d.)
- “I learned early that being tough doesn’t mean being cruel—it means standing up when it counts.” (Bookey, 2023)
- “Sometimes you gotta laugh at yourself before anyone else does.” (QuoteCatalog, n.d.)
Alex Karras’ quotes are a rugged blend of humor, heart, and hard-earned wisdom, inspiring fans to embrace vulnerability, stand firm in their principles, and find humor in life’s chaos. Which one’s got you ready to tackle your own game of life? Drop it in the comments and keep the Mad Duck’s spirit alive!
Emma Thompson
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