With only 14 seconds remaining in the NFC Divisional Round, the Minnesota Vikings were 61 yards away from the end zone and facing certain defeat to the New Orleans Saints.  It was then quarterback Case Keenum hit wide receiver Stefon Diggs on a deep out.  The Saints talented safety Marcus Williams misplaced the ball and the Minnesota Miracle was born.  The complete 10-minute broadcast is shown above and worth a watch.

Keenum is interviewed at the 9:05 mark.  His comments along with two videos from Diggs below provide us the following 18 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Case Keenum And Stefon Diggs Minnesota Miracle:

  1. Even Great Leaders Face Great Desperation – “We were definitely in desperation mode.”
  2. Great Leaders Give Their Teams A Chance For Victory – “I just tried to give my guy a chance.”
  3. Great Leaders Give The Credit To Others For Their Success – “You’ve got to give our guys credit.”
  4. Great Leaders Have Great Resiliency – “We fought to the very end.”
  5. Great Leaders Have Proper Priorities.  God First, Family Second, Work Third. – “It’s probably going to go down as the third best moment of my life behind giving my life to Jesus Christ, marrying my wife, and this one right’s there close.

And then there was this emotional response from Stefon Diggs we will never forget:

  1. We Do Everything We Can Do And Then God Does What Only He Can Do – “My QB made a great throw.  God took care of the rest.”
  2. Great Leaders Give Their Glory To God – “I give all the glory to God.  I give Him the praise on this great Sunday.”
  3. God Does Indescribable Things Through Leaders – “I still don’t know what just happened.  I really don’t.”
  4. God Gives All Leaders Their Opportunities – “All I can is, ‘Give it to God.  Without Him nothing is possible and I wouldn’t be here.”
  5. Great Leaders Never Stop Working – “Since I first got here I never stopped working.”
  6. The Hard Work Done In Private Results In The Recognition You Receive In Public – “Today was when all the work paid off.”
  7. There Is A Difference Between Sensing Opportunity And Seizing It – “God put me in a position and I just tried to take advantage of my opportunity.”

And still even more from Diggs:

  1. Great Leaders Give Everything To God – “I give everything to God.”
  2. Great Leaders Put Others In Positions To Be Succeed – “It was all because they put me in the right position to be successful.”
  3. Great Leaders Have Great Belief In Their People – “My coaches believed in me.  My quarterback believed in me.”
  4. God Does Great Things Through The Lives Of Leaders – “And God did the rest.  He put me here.”
  5. Great Leaders Are Grateful – “I’m just thankful.”
  6. Great Leaders Never Stop Until The Clock Hits Zero – “I don’t stop playing until the clock hits zero.  That’s it.”

That’s it.  I have nothing else to add.  What other leadership lessons did you take from Minnesota’s miraculous victory?

To receive more leadership insights from Head Coach Nick Saban, click HERE or on the image to the left for my new ebook The Leadership Of Nick Saban: Timeless Truths From The Incomparable Head Coach Of The Alabama Crimson Tide.  Enjoy!

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