Emmitt Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Emmitt Smith

Smith in 2010
No. 22
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1969-05-15) May 15, 1969 (age 56) Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	216 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:	Escambia (Pensacola)
College:	Florida (1987–1989)
NFL Draft:	1990 / Round: 1 / Pick: 17
Career history
Dallas Cowboys (1990) Arizona Cardinals (2003)
Career highlights and awards
NFL 3× Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX) Super Bowl MVP (XXVIII) NFL Most Valuable Player (1993) 4× First-team All-Pro (1992–1995) 8× Pro Bowl (1990–1995, 1998, 1999) 4× NFL rushing yards leader (1991–1993, 1995) 3× NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1992, 1994, 1995) NFL scoring leader (1995) Bert Bell Award (1993) NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1990) PFWA All-Rookie Team (1990) Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor NFL 1990s All-Decade Team NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team NFL records Most career rushing yards: 18,355 Most career rushing touchdowns: 164 Most career rushing attempts: 4,409 NCAA Awards First team All-American (1989) SEC Most Valuable Player (1989) 3× First team All-SEC (1987–1989) SEC Freshman of the Year (1987) Florida Football Ring of Honor High school Parade Magazine, USA Today, and Gatorade National Player of the Year (1986) Florida High School Athletic Association Player of the Century
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 18,355 Rushing average: 4.2 Rushing touchdowns: 164 Receptions: 515 Receiving yards: 3,224 Receiving touchdowns: 11
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

Emmitt James Smith III (born May 15, 1969) is a famous American former professional football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. He played 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and two with the Arizona Cardinals. Smith is known as the league's all-time leading rusher. This means he gained more yards running with the ball than any other player in NFL history.

Smith grew up in Pensacola, Florida. He became the second-best rusher in American high school football history. He played three years of college football for the Florida Gators. There, he set many school rushing records. After being named an unanimous All-American in 1989, Smith decided to play professionally. He skipped his last year of college eligibility.

The Cowboys picked Smith in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft. He was the 17th player chosen overall. During his long career, he ran for 18,355 yards. This broke the record held by Walter Payton. He also holds the record for career rushing touchdowns with 164. Smith is the only running back to win a Super Bowl, the NFL Most Valuable Player award, the NFL rushing title, and the Super Bowl MVP award all in the same year (1993). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. He also joined the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Early Life and High School Football

Emmitt Smith was born in Pensacola, Florida. His parents were Mary J. Smith and Emmitt James Smith Jr. When he was eight, he played his first organized football game. His team was sponsored by the Salvation Army.

Smith went to Escambia High School in Pensacola. He played high school football and ran track. During his time there, Escambia won two state football championships. Smith rushed for 106 touchdowns and 8,804 yards. This was the second-highest yardage in American high school football history at that time. He ran for over 100 yards in 45 of the 49 games he started. This included his last 28 games in a row. He averaged 7.8 yards per carry. He also ran for over 2,000 yards in a season twice.

For his amazing efforts, Smith was named the 1986 national high school player of the year. This honor came from publications like USA Today and Parade Magazine. He also won the Gatorade award. In 2007, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) named him the Florida high school football "Player of the Century."

Even with all his success, some college experts thought he was too small and slow for major college football. One expert said, "Emmitt Smith is a lugger, not a runner. He's not fast. He can't get around the corner."

College Football Career

Playing for the Florida Gators

Smith received a sports scholarship to the University of Florida in Gainesville. He played for the Gators for three seasons (1987–1989). He did not start the first two games of his college career in 1987. But he made the most of his chances. In his second game, he gained 109 yards on only ten carries. This included a 66-yard touchdown run. This performance earned him a starting spot the next week.

In his first college start, Smith broke Florida's 57-year-old record for most rushing yards in a single game. He carried the ball 39 times for 224 yards and two touchdowns. The Gators upset Alabama in that game. Smith reached 1,000 yards in his freshman season's seventh game. This was the fastest any running back had done it. He finished the season with 1,341 yards. He was named SEC and National Freshman of the Year.

Setting New Records

Smith stayed healthy during his junior season in 1989. He continued to succeed. He set Florida records for rushing yards in a season (1,599). He also set a record for rushing yards in a single game (316 against New Mexico). His 96-yard run against Mississippi State in 1988 was the longest. He also set career records for rushing yards (3,928) and rushing touchdowns (36).

Smith held 58 school records when he finished his college career. This was amazing because Florida's teams during his time did not pass the ball much. This meant opposing defenses focused only on stopping him.

After his junior season, Smith was named a first-team SEC player for the third time. He was also named SEC Player of the Year. He was a unanimous first-team All-American. Smith decided to skip his senior year and enter the 1990 NFL Draft. This was the first time juniors were allowed to enter the draft. Smith later returned to the university and earned his bachelor's degree in 1996.

Smith was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. He also joined the Gator Football Ring of Honor and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Professional Football Career

Dallas Cowboys (1990–2002)

In the 1990 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys chose Emmitt Smith. They traded up to the 17th pick to get him. Some NFL teams still thought he was too small and slow for professional football. Smith missed all of the preseason due to a long contract holdout. However, he started 15 games, rushed for 937 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and went to the Pro Bowl.

Smith's #22 Cowboys jersey is shown at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 1991, he had 1,563 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He won the first of his four rushing titles. In 1992, he set a Cowboys record with 1,713 rushing yards. He also became the first player to win the league's rushing title and the Super Bowl in the same season.

In 1993, Smith missed the first two regular season games. The Cowboys lost both games. They then signed Smith to a new contract, making him the highest-paid running back. Smith rushed for 1,486 yards and 9 touchdowns. He helped the Cowboys win the Super Bowl after starting the season 0-2. He also won the league MVP and the Super Bowl XXVIII MVP awards. In one game, he rushed for 237 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles, a team record. In a key game against the New York Giants, he played with a separated shoulder. He still gained 229 total yards to help the Cowboys win.

In 1994, Smith led the league with 21 rushing touchdowns. In 1995, he became the first player to rush for 1,400 yards or more in five seasons in a row. He also set an NFL record with 25 rushing touchdowns. Smith broke two of Tony Dorsett's Cowboys rushing records that year.

In 1996, he scored his 100th career rushing touchdown. He also passed 10,000 career rushing yards. He was the youngest player in NFL history to reach this milestone. In 1998, he became the Cowboys' all-time leading rusher. He also became the NFL's all-time rushing touchdown leader. The next year, he set NFL records for career postseason rushing yards (1,586) and touchdowns (19).

In 2001, Smith rushed for 1,021 yards. This made him the first player with 11 seasons in a row with over 1,000 rushing yards. In 2002, he reached his goal of breaking the NFL rushing record. He passed Walter Payton's record against the Seattle Seahawks. After the season, the Cowboys released Smith.

Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004)

On March 26, 2003, Smith signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. He wanted to prove he could still play well at 34 years old. He said, "I think I'm a 1,300-yard back, and I will be out to prove that." He started for the Cardinals. On October 5, he played against the Cowboys. He broke his left shoulder blade in the game. This injury made him miss six games. He finished the season with only 256 rushing yards.

In 2004, Smith was named the team's starting running back again. He rushed for 937 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also became the oldest player in NFL history to throw his first touchdown pass. He threw a 21-yard touchdown on a special play.

Smith had 1,193 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in his two years with the Cardinals. He also had 212 receiving yards.

On February 3, 2005, Smith announced his retirement from the NFL. He signed a one-day contract with the Dallas Cowboys for one dollar. This allowed him to retire as a Cowboy, the team he played with for most of his career.

NFL Records and Playing Style

Record-Breaking Achievements

Smith holds the NFL record for career rushing yards with 18,355. He broke Walter Payton's record on October 27, 2002. He also leads all running backs with 164 career rushing touchdowns. His 175 total touchdowns rank him second only to Jerry Rice's 208.

A fan banner honoring Emmitt Smith at Texas Stadium.

He is the NFL's all-time leader in rushing attempts with 4,409. He is the only player to have three seasons with 19 or more touchdowns. He also holds the record for most games in a season with a touchdown (15), set in 1995.

Smith also set several NFL postseason records. These include rushing touchdowns (19) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (9). His 1,586 rushing yards in the playoffs are also an NFL record. He shares the record for total playoff touchdowns (21) with Thurman Thomas. With the Cowboys, Smith won three Super Bowl rings. He rushed for over 100 yards in two of those games. He won the Super Bowl MVP award for Super Bowl XXVIII. He is the only Cowboys running back to win this award.

Smith is one of only five NFL players with 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 their careers.

How He Played

Emmitt Smith was always effective as a runner. He was not always flashy, but he was consistent. He was known for his great vision and strong legs. He also had excellent balance. Smith was one of the best at gaining extra yards even when plays seemed blocked. He was also a good receiver and a strong blocker when protecting the quarterback.

During his career, people often compared him to Detroit Lions Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders. Both players were very successful. They combined for eight rushing titles in the 1990s. Some people thought Smith's steady "north-south" running style was better. Others preferred Sanders' exciting style with sudden changes of direction. But most agree that both Smith and Sanders were among the best running backs ever.

Life After Football

In 2002, Smith and his wife started the Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities. This group helps children get the resources they need to reach their full potential.

In September 2005, Smith became a studio analyst for the NFL Network show, NFL Total Access. On September 19, 2005, Smith was inducted into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. He joined his teammates Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin.

In the fall of 2006, Smith won the third season of Dancing with the Stars. He danced with professional dancer Cheryl Burke. People praised Smith for making dancing "manly" and for his "natural charm."

In 2007, Smith joined ESPN as a studio analyst for their NFL pre-game coverage. He later appeared on SportsCenter and Monday Night Countdown.

Smith was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. This was his first year of being eligible. On February 7, 2010, Smith flipped the coin at the start of Super Bowl XLIV.

In June 2010, Smith returned to his high school, Escambia High School in Pensacola, Florida. He was there for an ESPN show. In October 2010, he was inducted into the Escambia High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Smith also became a real estate developer. In 2005, he teamed up with Roger Staubach, another Cowboys legend. They formed Smith/Cypress Partners LP. This company develops commercial properties. Smith also co-founded ESmith Legacy, a company that works in commercial real estate.

In 2007, he appeared on the TV show How I Met Your Mother. He joked about the Super Bowl. Smith also participated in the 2011 National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

He returned to Dancing with the Stars in 2012 for its "All-Stars" season. He danced with Cheryl Burke again. In 2016, Smith became a co-owner of The Gents Place. This is a men's grooming and lifestyle club. In 2019, Smith appeared on an episode of Deal or No Deal. In 2021, Smith teamed up with NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji. They formed a NASCAR Xfinity Series team called Jesse Iwuji Motorsports.

Personal Life

Smith became a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity at the University of Florida. He completed his bachelor's degree in public recreation in 1996.

Smith is a Christian. He has a daughter, Rheagen Smith (born 1998), with Hope Wilson. He married former Miss Virginia USA Patricia Southall on April 22, 2000. They have three children: Emmitt James Smith IV (born 2002), Skylar Smith (born 2003), and Elijah Alexander James Smith (born 2010). Smith is also the stepfather of Jasmine Page Lawrence (born 1996). She is Southall's daughter with actor-comedian Martin Lawrence.

His brother, Emory, played on practice squads for the Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. Smith's oldest son, E. J., decided to play college football at Stanford in 2020.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular season

See Also

In Spanish: Emmitt Smith para niños

• Emmitt Smith Football, a 1995 video game
• 1989 College Football All-America Team
• Florida Gators football, 1980–89
• List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players, A–K)
• List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players, L–Z)
• 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
• 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