“Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won”
“Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won” is a sports and business saying that has been printed on many images. The saying began appearing on T-shirts in July 1996, and is of unknown authorship.
“‘Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won.’ Mike Ditka” was posted on X/Twitter by Ed Schafer on September 9, 2017. The saying is often credited to American football player and coach Mike Ditka (1939-2026), but there’s no evidence that he was the first to say it.
Wikipedia: Mike Ditka
Michael Keller Ditka (/ˈdɪtkə/ DIT-kə; born Michael Dyczko; October 18, 1939 – October 9, 2026) was an American professional football player, coach, and commentator. During his playing career as a tight end, he was UPI NFL Rookie of Year in 1961, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and a six-time All-Pro with the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL); he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
Newspapers.com
2 July 1996, Syracuse (NY) Herald-Journal, “National stage lures J-E band” by Jeff Theodore, pg. A8, col. 1:
And 14-year-old clarinet player Jasmine Case’s shirt read: “Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won.”
Newspapers.com
15 July 1996, Concord (NH) Monitor, “‘Quit’ not in Craven’s vocabulary” by Yuro Pride, pg. C1, cols. 2-3:
The statement on the back of his shirt told you everything you needed to know.
Losers quit when they’re tired. WInners quit when they’ve won.
Newspapers.com
24 November 1996, Ann Arbor (MI) News, BriarWords! sec., pg. 2, col. 4:
“Losers Quit When They’re Tired. Winners Quit When They’re Done.”—from one of Aussie Outfitters’ best selling T-shirts
Google Groups: comp.os.ms-windows.win95.setup
Multiple Operating Systems: triple boot
Doug Allen
May 3, 1997, 3:00:00 AM
(...)
Doug Allen, Jr.
“Losers quit when they’re tired, Winners quit when they’ve won.”
Google Groups: rec.sport.officiating
An umpire’s perspective on the NAFA World Series
Steven M. Wilson
Sep 2, 1998, 3:00:00 AM
(...)
For me, both the story of Roger Hawes and that of the North Fredricksburgh Express epitomize a sports aphorism: “Losers quit when they’re tired; Winners quit when they’ve WON.”
Google Groups: rec.models.railroad
Bachmann Service - What a Joke
T9362J
Jun 21, 1999, 3:00:00 AM
PERSEVERANCE OVERCOMES ALL!!!!
LOSERS QUIT WHEN
THEY’RE TIRED
WINNERS QUIT WHEN
THEY’VE WON!!!!!!!!!
X/Twitter
Chris McLaughlin
@mclaughlinchris
Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won~Author Unknown
8:21 PM · Aug 31, 2009
X/Twitter
Ed Schafer
@EdSchafer1
“Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won.” Mike Ditka - Go Cocks and Citadel Bulldogs!
7:07 AM · Sep 9, 2017
X/Twitter
Levittown Division Coach
@Coach___Mac
“Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won!”
-Mike Ditka
Super Bowl Champion
As a player
An assistant coach
And a Head Coach
9:11 PM · Apr 26, 2018
X/Twitter
Andrew Hay
@andrewsmhay
“Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won.”
— Mike Ditka
9:13 PM · Oct 15, 2018
X/Twitter
Robert Toney
@RobertJoeToney
RIP Mike Ditka. Hall of Famer, Super Bowl-winning coach, and the toughest SOB to ever wear a Bears sweater.
“Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won.”
Da Coach. 1939–2026.
8:35 PM · Oct 9, 2026