Say what you will about Tate Martell, but you can’t call the passer ungrateful.

The Bishop Gorman senior-to-be returned to real life after a trip to The Opening, where he competed in the 7-on-7 tournament an annual Elite 11 quarterback competition. He didn’t win either, but still felt he learned a significant amount. As such, less than a day after leaving Oregon he penned (or typed, as the case may be) a more-than-two-page thank you letter to The Opening’s organizers and those he got to meet in the process.

Typos aside, Martell’s note seems genuine and was well delivered. He wrote about the maturity he gained from his own frustrations in not winning the 7-on-7 tournament and the multiple phases of responsibility that come through the Elite 11 competition. And he wrapped up his assessment with a gentle pull on the heartstrings about how the most important things he gained were “relationships that are going to last a life time (sic).”

Whether Martell’s manifesto was an elaborate publicity stunt or a truly heartfelt thank you, we may never know. Given most of his colleagues in this generation, the fact that he wrote such a note at all is still a testament to his character and ability to reflect thankfully on the gifts he’s earned and been given.