Emmitt James Smith III (born May 15, 1969) is an American former professional
football player who was a
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball,
and block. Th ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...
(NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
. Among other accolades, he is the
league's all-time leading rusher.
Smith grew up in
Pensacola, Florida, and became the second-leading rusher in American
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, partl ...
history while playing for
Escambia High School. Smith played three years of
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football in the United States, American football rules first gained populari ...
for the
Florida Gators, where he set numerous school rushing records. After being named a unanimous
All-American in
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
, Smith chose to forgo his senior year of eligibility and play professionally.
The Cowboys selected Smith in the first round of the
1990 NFL draft. During his long professional career, he rushed for 18,355 yards, breaking the record formerly held by
Walter Payton. He also holds the record for career rushing touchdowns with 164. Smith is the only running back to ever win a Super Bowl championship, the NFL Most Valuable Player award, the NFL rushing crown, and the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award all in the same season (1993). He is also one of four running backs to lead the NFL in rushing three or more consecutive seasons, joining
Steve Van Buren,
Jim Brown and
Earl Campbell
Earl Christian Campbell (born March 29, 1955), nicknamed "the Tyler Rose", is an American former professional football player who played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints. ...
. Smith led the league in rushing and won the
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the gam ...
in the same year three times (1992, 1993, and 1995) when to that point it had never been done. Smith is also one of only two non-kickers in NFL history to score more than 1,000 career points (the other being
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three champion ...
). Smith was inducted to the
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...
in 2010 and the
College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Smith played thirteen seasons with the Cowboys and two with the
Arizona Cardinals. While playing for Dallas, Smith plus quarterback
Troy Aikman and wide receiver
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin (born March 5, 1966) is an American sports commentator and former professional football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). In 2007, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of F ...
were known as "The Triplets," and they led their team to three
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the gam ...
championships during the 1990s.
Early years
Smith was born in
Pensacola, Florida, the son of Mary J. Smith and Emmitt James Smith, Jr. At the age of eight, he played his first organized football game on a team that was sponsored by the Salvation Army. He attended
Escambia High School in Pensacola, where he played high school football and ran track for the Escambia Gators. During Smith's high school football career, Escambia won two state football championships, and Smith rushed for 106 touchdowns and 8,804 yards, which was the second most yardage in the history of American high school football at the time. Emmitt rushed for over 100 yards in 45 of the 49 games he started for Escambia (including the last 28 in a row) and finished with a 7.8 yards per carry average.
Twice, he broke the 2,000-yard rushing mark in a season. In
track & field, Smith competed as a sprinter and was a member of the
4 × 100 m (42.16 s) relay squad.
For his efforts, Smith was named the ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' and ''
Parade'' magazine high school player of the year for 1986.
In 2007, twenty years after Smith graduated from high school, the
Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) named Smith to its All-Century Team and recognized him as the Florida high school football "Player of the Century."
Despite his accomplishments and accolades, some college recruiting analysts opined that he was too small and too slow to succeed in major college football when he signed to play for the University of Florida. Recruiting expert Max Emfinger didn't list Smith among the top 50 high school running backs in his high school class and opined that, "Emmitt Smith is a lugger, not a runner. He's not fast. He can't get around the corner. When he falls flat on his face, remember where you heard it first."
College career
1987 season
Smith accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
in
Gainesville, where he played for coach
Galen Hall's
Gators for three seasons He did not start the first two games of his college career in the fall of 1987, but made the most of his opportunities in a second-week rout of
Tulsa in which he gained 109 yards on just ten carries, including a 66-yard touchdown run.
That performance earned him a spot in the starting lineup the following week in the Gators' SEC opener against
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = " Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...
at
Legion Field.
In his first collegiate start, Smith promptly broke Florida's 57-year-old all-time single game rushing record held by
Red Bethea, carrying 39 times for 224 yards and two touchdowns as the Gators upset the Crimson Tide.
Smith went on to break the 1,000-yard barrier in the seventh game of his freshman season, the fastest any running back had ever broken that barrier to begin his college career.
He finished the season with 1,341 yards, was named SEC and National Freshman of the Year,
and was ninth in the
balloting for the
Heisman Trophy.
1988 season
Smith and the Gators began the
1988 season strong as Smith averaged over 120 yards per game, leading his team to 5-0 start. During the sixth contest against
Memphis State
}
The University of Memphis (UofM) is a public university, public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students.
The university maintains the Herff College of Engineering ...
, Smith injured his knee and was forced out of action for several weeks. The Gators lost the game in which he was injured plus their next three games, and with starting quarterback Kyle Morris also injured, they were unable to muster a single touchdown over 14 quarters of play. Once Smith returned to the lineup, they rebounded to finish the season 7-5, including a win in the
1988 All-American Bowl in which Smith ran for a 55-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and was named the game's MVP.
Smith rushed for 988 yards on the year (not including the bowl game) at 110 yards per game, the lowest totals of his college career.
1989 season
Smith stayed healthy throughout his junior season in 1989 and found success again. He finished the campaign with Florida records for rushing yards in a season (1,599), rushing yards in a single game (316 versus
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex
, Offi ...
in October 1989), longest rushing play (96 yards against
Mississippi State in 1988), career rushing yards (3,928), career rushing yards per game (126.7) and career rushing touchdowns (36), among many others. In all, Smith owned 58 school records at the conclusion of his Florida career
despite playing on Florida teams with virtually no passing game, which made him the focal point of opposing defenses.
At the conclusion of his junior season in
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
, Smith was named a first-team SEC selection for the third year and SEC Player of the Year, was a
unanimous first-team All-American, and finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy balloting.
In his final game in the
Freedom Bowl
The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994.
The bowl frequently invited a team from the Western Athletic Conference to compete against an at-large o ...
, he had few rushing attempts after Florida fell behind
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
early and were forced
Days later on January 1,
1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicis ...
,
Steve Spurrier was introduced as the Gators' new Smith, concerned about his potential role in Spurrier's reportedly pass-first offense, decided to forgo his senior year at Florida and enter the
NFL draft
The National Football League Draft, also called the NFL Draft or (officially) the Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment. Each team is given a position in the drafting o ...
, which for the first time in history allowed juniors to be eligible.
Smith returned to the university during the NFL off-season and completed his bachelor's degree in 1996.
Smith was subsequently inducted into the
University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1999, the
Gator Football Ring of Honor and the
College Football Hall of Fame As part of a series of articles written for ''The Gainesville Sun'' in 2006, he was recognized as the No. 3 all-time player among the top 100 from the first 100 years of the Gators football program.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys (1990–2002)
In the
1990 NFL Draft the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
considered drafting
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
James Francis with their first round selection, but after he was taken by the
Cincinnati Bengals, the Cowboys focused on improving their running game when Smith started dropping, because despite his collegiate success, some NFL teams still felt that Smith was too small and slow for the pro game. The Cowboys traded up with the
Pittsburgh Steelers moving from the 21st to the 17th position, in exchange for a third round draft choice (#81-
Craig Veasey
Craig Veasey (born December 25, 1966 in Houston, Texas) is a retired defensive tackle/nose tackle in the NFL. While attending the University of Houston from 1985 to 1989, Craig earned was a 4-year letterman, and a starting 3 of those years. In ...
), to select Smith in the first round. Even though he missed all of the preseason after having the longest holdout by a rookie in franchise history, he was able to start 15 games, rush for 937 yards and 11 touchdowns, while being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and receiving
Pro Bowl honors.
In 1991, he registered 1,563 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He also clinched the first of four rushing titles, after tallying 160 yards against the
Atlanta Falcons in the season finale.
In 1992, he set the Cowboys' single-season franchise record and won the rushing title with 1,713 yards. He also became the first player to win the league's rushing title and the
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the gam ...
in the same season.
In 1993, he missed all of training camp and the first 2 regular season games. The Cowboys lost both contests with rookie
Derrick Lassic running in his place. With the season in jeopardy the Cowboys relented and reached an agreement, making Smith the highest paid running back in the league. Smith posted 1,486 rushing yards, 9 touchdowns and helped the Cowboys become the first team to win a
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the gam ...
after starting the season 0-2. He also received the league MVP and the Super Bowl XXVIII MVP award. On October 31, his 237 rushing yards against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
set the single-season franchise record. His career signature game came in the season finale against the
New York Giants, with the Cowboys desperately trying to clinch the
NFC East title and a first-round bye in the playoffs, Smith suffered a first-degree separation in his right shoulder during the first half, but still finished with 229 total yards and played a key role in a 16-13 overtime win.
The next season saw Smith led the league with 21 rushing touchdowns, a new career-high despite battling a hamstring pull late in the season. However, the Cowboys lost the NFC Championship Game to the 49ers.
In 1995, Smith became the first player in league history to rush for 1,400 rushing yards or more in five consecutive seasons and set the NFL record with 25 rushing touchdowns. Smith,
Jim Brown,
Adrian Peterson and
LaDainian Tomlinson are the only players with seven straight ten-touchdown seasons to start their careers. He also broke two of
Tony Dorsett's Dallas franchise rushing records, the first for most consecutive initial games of a season with 100+ rushing yards (Smith's four to Dorsett's three) and the second for single-season rushing yards (1,773 to Dorsett's 1,646). Both records would hold for 19 years until 2014, when
DeMarco Murray rushed for 100+ yards in each of his first eight games and accumulated 1,845 rushing yards over the course of the season.
In 1996, he scored his 100th career rushing touchdown and surpassed 10,000 career rushing yards, becoming just the twelfth player in league history and the youngest one to reach this milestone.
In 1998, he became the Cowboys' all-time leading rusher (passing Dorsett) and the NFL's all-time rushing touchdown leader (surpassing
Marcus Allen). The next year, he became the NFL's all-time leader in career postseason rushing yards (1,586) and postseason rushing touchdowns (19).
With 1,021 rushing yards in 2001, Smith became the first player in NFL history with 11 consecutive 1,000 yard seasons and the first to post eleven 1,000-yard rushing seasons in a career.
In 2002, he reached the goal he set as a rookie, finishing the season with 17,162 career yards and breaking the NFL rushing record previously held by
Walter Payton against the
Seattle Seahawks. In the same game against the Seahawks, Smith ran for a touchdown that gave him 150 career rushing touchdowns. After the season, the Cowboys hired head coach
Bill Parcells who wanted to go with younger running backs and released Smith on February 26, 2003.
Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004)
On March 26, 2003, Smith signed a two-year contract as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who i ...
with the
Arizona Cardinals, who were not only looking for Smith to improve their team, but also helped them promote it with their local fan base. Responding to questions about what he could do as a 34-year old running back, he said "I think I'm a 1,300-yard back, and I will be out to prove that." Head Coach
Dave McGinnis
David McGinnis (born August 7, 1951) is a former National Football League (NFL) coach and college player who is the color commentator for the Tennessee Titans Radio Network. He was assistant head coach of the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams from 2012 ...
announced that Smith would start for the Cardinals. On October 5, in a highly anticipated game, he returned to Texas Stadium to play against the Cowboys, but suffered a broken left shoulder blade after
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are two slightly di ...
Roy Williams hit him in the second quarter. The Cardinals lost 7-24, and Smith's 6 carries for minus-1 yards marked the first time in his career he rushed for negative yardage. The injury forced him to miss 6 games, and he eventually finished the season with 256 rushing yards and averaged just 2.8 yards per carry.
In 2004, new head coach
Dennis Green was hired and named Smith as the team's starter at running back. He posted 937 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns. He also became the oldest player in NFL history ever to throw his first touchdown pass, throwing a 21-yard touchdown strike on a
halfback option play, the only passing attempt of his career.
Smith had 1,193 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns and averaged 3.2 yards per carry in his 2-year time in Arizona. He also had 212 receiving yards, no receiving touchdowns and averaged 7.3 yards per reception in his 2-year time with the
Arizona Cardinals.
Three days before
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles to decide the National Football League ...
on February 3, 2005, Smith announced his retirement from the NFL. He was not re-signed by the Cardinals and signed a one-day contract for one dollar with the Dallas Cowboys, after which he immediately retired with the team he had played with for most of his career.
NFL records
Smith currently holds the NFL record in career rushing yards with 18,355, breaking the previous record held by
Walter Payton, on October 27, 2002. He leads all running backs with 164 career rushing touchdowns, and his 175 total touchdowns ranks him second only to
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three champion ...
's 208. The total of his rushing yards, receiving yards (3,224) and fumble return yards (-15) gives him a total of 21,564 yards from the line of scrimmage, making him one of only four players in NFL history to eclipse the 21,000 combined-yards mark. (The others are
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three champion ...
,
Brian Mitchell and
Walter Payton)
He is the NFL's all-time leader in rushing attempts with 4,409, the only player to post three seasons with 19 or more touchdowns, and the record-holder for most games in a season with a touchdown and most games in a season with a rushing touchdown (15), set in 1995.
Smith also accumulated several NFL postseason records, including rushing touchdowns (19), consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (9), and 100-yard rushing games (7). His 1,586 yards rushing is also top on the NFL postseason chart, and he shares the total playoff touchdown mark of 21 with
Thurman Thomas. With the Cowboys, Smith won three Super Bowl rings and rushed for over 100 yards in two of those games,
Super Bowl XXVII (108 yards and a touchdown, and six receptions for 27 yards), and
Super Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion fo ...
(132 yards and two touchdowns, and four receptions for 26 yards). Smith received the
Super Bowl MVP award for Super Bowl XXVIII, becoming the only Cowboys running back ever to win the award. He also scored two touchdowns in
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champio ...
.
Smith is one of only five NFL players who have amassed over 10,000 career-rushing yards and 400 career receptions. Smith and Jerry Rice are the only two non-kickers in NFL history to score 1,000 points in a career.
Playing style
As a runner, Smith was consistently effective, though not dazzling in style. "(Smith) darted, slithered and followed his blockers, and squeezed yard after yard out of plays that didn't have any yards in them. He didn't look especially fast or powerful or blindingly deceptive, yet he couldn't be stopped."
Smith was noted for being a very durable back with excellent vision, tremendous leg strength, and great balance, and was known as one of the best second-effort runners ever. Smith was also a reliable receiver and an excellent blocker in pass protection.
During his career, he was often compared to
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...
Hall of Fame running back
Barry Sanders, as both men were extremely successful for their respective teams and combined for 8 rushing titles during the 1990s. Some give Smith the edge for his consistent "north-south" style that took full advantage of Dallas' talented
offensive line, while some think Sanders' spectacular running style with sudden changes of direction made him a better back. Observers agree, though, that both Smith and Sanders were among the best running backs in league history.
Although Smith is the only player to tell
John Madden
John Earl Madden (April 10, 1936 – December 28, 2021) was an American football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, who he led to eight pl ...
that ''
Madden NFL
''Madden NFL'' (known as ''John Madden Football'' until 1993) is an American football video game series developed by EA Tiburon for EA Sports. It is named after Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and commentator John Madden and sold more than 130 ...
'' rated his skills too high,
he was ranked No. 68 on ''
The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players in 1999, three years before becoming the game's all-time rushing yardage leader.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Life after football
In 2002, Smith and his wife founded the Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission to "seek a reality where children have the resources necessary to realize their full potential."
In September 2005, Smith signed on to serve as a studio analyst on the
NFL Network show, ''
NFL Total Access''.
On September 19, 2005, at halftime of the Cowboys-Redskins game (broadcast on ''
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, ...
''), Smith was inducted into the
Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor with his long-time teammates Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin.
On July 23, 2006, Smith was a judge at the
Miss Universe 2006 pageant.
In the fall of 2006, Smith won the
third season of ''
Dancing with the Stars'' with professional dancer
Cheryl Burke. Smith was praised for "making dancing look manly" and for his "natural charm," and Burke was given credit for coaching Smith while still allowing him to improvise some moves.
On March 12, 2007, Smith joined
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
as a studio analyst for their
NFL pre-game coverage alongside
Chris Berman,
Mike Ditka,
Tom Jackson
Tom or TOM may refer to:
* Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name)
Characters
* Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head''
* Tom Beck, a character ...
, and
Chris Mortensen
Chris Mortensen (born November 7, 1951) is an American journalist providing reports for ESPN's '' Sunday NFL Countdown'', ''Monday Night Countdown'', ''SportsCenter'', ESPN Radio, and ESPN.com.
Early life
Mortensen attended North Torrance ...
. However, he was removed from this coverage for the
2008 season. Instead, he appeared Sunday mornings during the NFL season on ''
SportsCenter''. He performs with
Steve Young and
Stuart Scott at the Monday Night Football site each week on
Monday Night Countdown. His contract was not renewed for the
2009 season.
Smith was criticized by some in the media and sports blogs as being inarticulate. ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' created a video called "Emmitt Smith: Wordsmith" mocking his numerous
malapropism
A malapropism (also called a malaprop, acyrologia, or Dogberryism) is the mistaken use of an incorrect word in place of a word with a similar sound, resulting in a nonsensical, sometimes humorous utterance. An example is the statement attributed t ...
s. ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...
s
Peter King called Smith's comments regarding
Michael Vick's involvement in the
Bad Newz Kennels
The Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation began in April 2007 with a search of property in Surry County, Virginia, owned by Michael Vick, who was at the time quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons football team, and the subsequent discover ...
"idiotic and inappropriate."
Smith was elected to the
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...
in 2010, in his first year of eligibility.
On February 7, 2010, Smith flipped the coin at the start of
Super Bowl XLIV between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints.
In June 2010, Smith returned to his high school alma mater,
Escambia High School in
Pensacola, Florida, for a taping of
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
's show
Homecoming with Rick Reilly. In October 2010, he was inducted into the Escambia High School Sports Hall of Fame during halftime of an EHS football game, along with former
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...
third baseman
Jim Presley
James Arthur Presley (born October 23, 1961) is a former Major League Baseball infielder with an eight-year career from 1984 to 1991. He played for the Seattle Mariners of the American League and the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres of the Na ...
and several other EHS alumni.
In 2005, Smith made his first move toward becoming a real estate developer: He teamed with another Cowboy legend,
Roger Staubach, the founder and CEO of Staubach Co., to form Smith/Cypress Partners LP, a real estate development enterprise specializing in transforming underutilized parcels in densely populated areas into commercially viable properties anchored by national retail giants.
[Hughes, C. J. "After Sports Careers, Vying in the Real Estate Arena," "The New York Times", Wednesday, July 21, 2010](_blank)
Nytimes.com (July 20, 2010). Retrieved on 2011-10-30.
In his first deal, Smith helped the firm sign
Mervyn's, a California-based department store chain, to anchor a $45 million, project in Phoenix.
With access to $50 million in capital, Smith has several other projects in the works. He has a letter of intent to develop a site in a densely populated yet underserved area near northwest Fort Worth (it was formerly a college operated by a Masonic lodge), and he is currently negotiating for rights to another potential project in southeastern Fort Worth.
On one of the sites, Smith plans to build a complex with as much as of retail space, more than double the size of the Phoenix property. "There's a huge need for top-quality retail in these areas, and I understand how the deals are cut," Smith said before lunch. "I'm not an engineer. I'm not a contractor. And I'm still learning the jargon. But I understand deals, and the only way to grow is to be in the middle of the deals."
Smith/Cypress is a joint venture (Smith owns 51 percent) with Cypress Equities, the retail development arm of Roger Staubach's real estate services company. Early in his own playing career, Smith approached the former Cowboy quarterback with an interest in learning more about real estate. Skeptical at first, Staubach told Smith to spend some time at his company's offices during the spring and summer if he was sincere. Smith did just that, spending the off-season at Staubach Co.'s headquarters in Dallas. Staubach founded the company in the late 1970s to locate and negotiate office and retail space for clients. In 2006 the privately held firm had transactions totaling $26 billion and of space.
In 2014, Smith's company began a nationwide expansion, including into New York City.
Smith also co-founded ESmith Legacy, a
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
-based company that specializes in
commercial real estate development
Real estate development, or property development, is a business process, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re- lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of developed land or parcels to other ...
and
investment management.
He serves as its
Chairman of the
Board
Board or Boards may refer to:
Flat surface
* Lumber, or other rigid material, milled or sawn flat
** Plank (wood)
** Cutting board
** Sounding board, of a musical instrument
* Cardboard (paper product)
* Paperboard
* Fiberboard
** Hardboard, a ty ...
and
Chief Executive Officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especiall ...
.
In 2007, he was a guest on ''
How I Met Your Mother'', where he joked about Super Bowl on this question asked by
Barney Stinson
Barnabus Stinson is a fictional character portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris and created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series '' How I Met Your Mother'' (2005–2014).
One of the show's main characters, Barney is known ...
"What is more important than the Super Bowl? - Dance, my friend, dance".
Smith participated in the 2011
, defeating
David Williams in the first round and losing in the second round to
Andrew Robl
Andrew Robl (born September 27, 1986), is a former American professional poker player from Okemos, Michigan. Robl admits going broke several times before finding success.
As a teenager, Andrew Robl discovered poker by watching ESPN’s covera ...
.
He returned to ''Dancing with the Stars'' in its
fifteenth season as one of the "All-Stars" contestants. Smith once again had
Cheryl Burke as his professional dance partner. They were voted off during the ninth week of the competition.
In 2016, Smith took the position of co-owner alongside founder and president Ben Davis of
The Gents Place, an ultra-premium men's grooming and lifestyle club founded in Frisco, Texas. The company has grown to include lifestyle clubs in Dallas and Southlake, as well as Leawood, Kansas.
In 2019, Smith appeared on an episode of ''
Deal or No Deal
''Deal or No Deal'' is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which (launching the format) was the Dutch '' Miljoenenjacht'' (''Hunt/Chase for Millions''). The centerpiece of this format is the final round (a.k ...
'' to support a contestant who idolizes him.
In 2021, Smith would team up with
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
driver,
Jesse Iwuji
Jesse Ekene Iwuji ( ; born August 12, 1987) is an American professional stock car racing driver and officer in the United States Navy Reserve. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 34 Chevrolet Camaro for Jesse Iwuj ...
, to form a
NASCAR Xfinity Series team called
Jesse Iwuji Motorsports, that will compete full-time in 2022.
Personal life
Smith was initiated as a member of the
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity at the University of Florida. He returned to the university during the NFL offseason to complete his coursework, and graduated with his
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...
in public recreation in May 1996.
Smith is a devout Christian. He has a daughter, Rheagen Smith (born November 2, 1998), with ex-girlfriend Hope Wilson. He married former
Miss Virginia USA
The Miss Virginia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Virginia in the Miss USA pageant.
Virginia has been only moderately successful in terms of number of semi-finalists. They have had two Miss USAs. ...
Patricia Southall
Patricia "Pat" Annette Smith (née Southall; born December 17, 1970) is an American founder and spokesperson of Treasure You, ex-wife of comedian Martin Lawrence and the wife of former Dallas Cowboys running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer E ...
on April 22, 2000. They have three children together: Emmitt James Smith IV (born May 15, 2002), Skylar Smith (born October 15, 2003), and Elijah Alexander James Smith (born September 22, 2010).
Smith is also the stepfather to Jasmine Page Lawrence (born January 15, 1996), who is Southall's daughter with ex-husband, actor-comedian
Martin Lawrence.
His brother,
Emory, played on the practice squads of the Cowboys and the
Green Bay Packers. Smith's eldest son,
E. J., committed to play college football at Stanford in 2020.
See also
*
1989 College Football All-America Team
*
Florida Gators football, 1980–89
*
*
*
List of Dallas Cowboys first-round draft picks
*
List of Dallas Cowboys players
*
List of Florida Gators football All-Americans
*
List of Florida Gators in the NFL Draft
*
List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees
The Pro Football Hall of Fame includes players, coaches, and contributors (e.g., owners, general managers and team or league officials) who have "made outstanding contributions to professional football". The charter class of seventeen was selected ...
*
List of National Football League rushing yards leaders
*
List of National Football League rushing champions
*
List of SEC Most Valuable Players
*
List of University of Florida alumni
*
List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members
References
Bibliography
* Carlson, Norm, ''University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators'', Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). .
* Golenbock, Peter, ''Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory'', Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). .
* Hairston, Jack, ''Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told'', Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). .
* McCarthy, Kevin M.,
Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football', Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). .
* Nash, Noel, ed., ''The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football'', Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). .
External links
Official websiteESmith Legacy, Inc. – Official WebsiteEmmitt Smith Cowboys Ring of HonorDallas Cowboys Top 50 players*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Emmitt
1969 births
Living people
African-American Christians
African-American players of American football
All-American college football players
American football running backs
Arizona Cardinals players
College football announcers
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
Dallas Cowboys players
Dancing with the Stars (American TV series) winners
Florida Gators football players
National Conference Pro Bowl players
National Football League announcers
National Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year Award winners
Participants in American reality television series
Players of American football from Pensacola, Florida
Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees
Super Bowl MVPs
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American sportspeople
National Football League Most Valuable Player Award winners