We use general concepts of statistical mechanics to compute the quantum frictional force on an atom moving at constant velocity above a planar surface. We derive the zero-temperature frictional force using a nonequilibrium fluctuation-dissipation relation, and we show that in the large-time, steady-state regime, quantum friction scales as the cubic power of the atom's velocity. We also discuss how approaches based on Wigner-Weisskopf and quantum regression approximations fail to predict the correct steady-state zero-temperature frictional force, mainly due to the low-frequency nature of quantum friction.