Emmitt Smith facts for kids
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Smith in 2010
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | May 15, 1969 Pensacola, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 221 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Escambia (Pensacola) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Florida (1987–1989) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1990 / Round: 1 / Pick: 17 | ||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Emmitt James Smith III (born May 15, 1969) is a famous American 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 2 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. Emmitt Smith is known as the NFL's all-time leading rusher, meaning he gained more yards running with the ball than anyone else in history!
Smith grew up in Pensacola, Florida. He became one of the best high school football rushers ever. He then played three years of college football for the Florida Gators. There, he broke many school records. After a great college career, he decided to play professionally.
The Dallas Cowboys picked Smith in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft. During his career, he ran for an amazing 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 (MVP) award, the NFL rushing title, and the Super Bowl MVP award all in the same year (1993). He is also one of only two non-kickers in NFL history to score over 1,000 career points. Emmitt Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. He also joined the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
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Early Life and High School Football
Emmitt Smith was born in Pensacola, Florida. He started playing organized football at age eight. He played for a team sponsored by the Salvation Army. Smith went to Escambia High School in Pensacola. There, he played high school football and ran track.
During his high school career, Escambia won two state football championships. Smith rushed for 106 touchdowns and 8,804 yards. This was the second-most yards in American high school football history at that time. He ran for over 100 yards in 45 of the 49 games he started. He even broke the 2,000-yard rushing mark in a season twice!
Because of his amazing skills, Smith was named the national high school player of the year in 1986. This honor came from groups like USA Today and Parade Magazine. In 2007, he was named the Florida high school football "Player of the Century."
Even with all his success, some college experts thought he was too small or too slow for major college football. But Emmitt Smith proved them wrong!
College Career at Florida
Emmitt Smith received a scholarship to play for the University of Florida in Gainesville. He played for the Gators for three seasons (1987–1989).
Freshman Year Success (1987)
Smith 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 just ten carries. This included a 66-yard touchdown run. This great 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. He finished his freshman season with 1,341 yards. He was named SEC and National Freshman of the Year. He even placed ninth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, a huge award for college players.
Sophomore and Junior Years (1988–1989)
In 1988, Smith helped the Gators start with a 5–0 record. But he got a knee injury, which kept him out for a month. The team struggled without him. When he returned, Florida won two of its last three games. He was named MVP of the 1988 All-American Bowl.
Smith stayed healthy in his junior season (1989) and had another great year. He set Florida records for rushing yards in a season (1,599) and in a single game (316). He also set records for career rushing yards (3,928) and career rushing touchdowns (36). By the end of his time at Florida, Smith held 58 school records!
After his junior year, Smith was named a first-team All-SEC player for the third time. He was also named SEC Player of the Year and a unanimous first-team All-American. He finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting again. Smith decided to leave college early to enter the NFL draft. He 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 College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Professional Career with the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys drafted Emmitt Smith in the first round in 1990. Some teams still thought he was too small for the pros. But the Cowboys believed in him. Even though he missed all of the preseason, he played 15 games. He rushed for 937 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl.
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Becoming a Star (1991-1993)
In 1991, Smith had 1,563 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He won his first of four rushing titles that year. 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 games. The Cowboys lost both. When he returned, he helped the Cowboys become the first team to win a Super Bowl after starting 0–2. He rushed for 1,486 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also won the league MVP and the Super Bowl XXVIII MVP award. In one amazing game, he rushed for 237 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles. In another key game against the New York Giants, he played through a shoulder injury. He still gained 229 total yards to help the Cowboys win and clinch their division title.
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The Triplets and Super Bowl Wins
While playing for Dallas, Smith, quarterback Troy Aikman, and wide receiver Michael Irvin were known as "The Triplets." They led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in the 1990s: Super Bowl XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX.
In 1995, Smith had an incredible season. He rushed for 1,773 yards and set an NFL record with 25 rushing touchdowns. He became the first player to rush for 1,400 yards or more in five seasons in a row.
Breaking Records (1996-2002)
In 1996, Smith 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.
By 1998, he became the Cowboys' all-time leading rusher. He also became the NFL's all-time rushing touchdown leader. In 2001, Smith became the first player in NFL history with 11 seasons in a row with over 1,000 rushing yards.
In 2002, Emmitt Smith reached his biggest goal. He broke Walter Payton's NFL rushing record, finishing with 17,162 career yards. This happened against the Seattle Seahawks. He also scored his 150th career rushing touchdown in that same game. After the 2002 season, the Cowboys decided to go with younger players and released Smith.
Time with the 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 at a high level. In his first game back in Texas against the Dallas Cowboys, he broke his left shoulder blade. This injury made him miss six games.
In 2004, Smith was named the Cardinals' starting running back. He rushed for 937 yards and nine touchdowns. He even threw his first touchdown pass, a 21-yard pass on a special play! This was the only pass attempt of his career.
After two seasons with the Cardinals, Emmitt Smith announced his retirement from the NFL on February 3, 2005. He signed a special one-day contract with the Dallas Cowboys. This allowed him to retire as a member of the team he played with for most of his career.
Emmitt Smith's NFL Records
Emmitt Smith holds many impressive NFL records:
- Most career rushing yards: 18,355 yards.
- Most career rushing touchdowns: 164 touchdowns.
- Most career rushing attempts: 4,409 attempts.
- He is the only player to have three seasons with 19 or more touchdowns.
- He holds the record for most games in a season with a touchdown (15), set in 1995.
Smith also holds several NFL playoff records:
- Most rushing touchdowns in playoffs: 19.
- Most consecutive games with a rushing touchdown: 9.
- Most 100-yard rushing games in playoffs: 7.
- Most rushing yards in playoffs: 1,586 yards.
- 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 Super Bowls. 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 catches. He and Jerry Rice are the only two non-kickers in NFL history to score over 1,000 points in their careers.
Playing Style
Emmitt Smith was known for being a very effective runner. He wasn't always flashy, but he was consistent. He could find ways to gain yards even when it looked like there were none. He was very durable, meaning he could play through many games without getting seriously hurt. He had excellent vision, great leg strength, and amazing balance. He was also a good receiver and a strong blocker.
During his career, people often compared him to Detroit Lions Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders. Both were incredibly successful. Some people thought Smith's consistent "north-south" running style was better because he used his blockers well. Others thought Sanders' exciting style, with sudden changes of direction, made him better. But everyone agrees that both Smith and Sanders were among the best running backs ever.
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Emmitt Smith has been very busy.
Charity Work and Media
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, he was inducted into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. This honor was shared with his longtime teammates Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin.
In 2006, Smith won the third season of Dancing with the Stars with professional dancer Cheryl Burke. He was praised for his dancing and natural charm.
Business Ventures
In 2005, Smith started working in real estate development. He teamed up with another Cowboys legend, Roger Staubach. Their company, Smith/Cypress Partners LP, works on developing properties. Smith has been involved in several large real estate projects.
He also co-founded ESmith Legacy, a company that focuses on commercial real estate development and investment. He serves as its Chairman of the Board and CEO.
In 2016, Smith became a co-owner of The Gents Place, a men's grooming and lifestyle club. In 2021, Smith partnered with NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji to form a NASCAR Xfinity Series team called Jesse Iwuji Motorsports.
Personal Life
Emmitt Smith is a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1996 with a bachelor's degree.
He is a devout Christian. He has a daughter, Rheagen, from a previous relationship. He married former Miss Virginia USA Patricia Southall on April 22, 2000. They have three children together: Emmitt IV, Skylar, and Elijah. Smith is also the stepfather of Jasmine Page Lawrence, Patricia's daughter from a previous marriage.
His brother, Emory, also played football. Emmitt's oldest son, E. J., plays college football at Texas A&M.
See also
In Spanish: Emmitt Smith para niños
- 1989 College Football All-America Team
- Florida Gators football, 1980–89
- List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players, A–K)
- List of Dallas Cowboys first-round draft picks
- List of Dallas Cowboys players
- List of Florida Gators football All-Americans
- 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 University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members
