About Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith III, an American former professional football player, was born on May 15, 1969, and his estimated net worth is $20 million. Smith was born in Pensacola, Florida, on May 15, 1969. He grew raised as one of Mary Smith and Emmitt Smith Jr.’s six children. Smith was a standout running back at Pensacola’s Escambia High School, where he attended. He ran for nearly 9,000 yards and 106 touchdowns while leading his high school to a state championship. Despite his high school success, scouts still thought Smith, who was given a scholarship by the Florida Gators, was too short and slow at 5 foot 9 and 216 pounds to succeed in college.
The NCAA accomplishments of Emmitt Smith
Smith quickly disproved his detractors, which surprised no one. Smith was selected to start his first game as a freshman in the SEC opener against the heavily fancied Alabama Crimson Tide. The coaches weren’t made to feel bad by him. After amassing 224 yards and two touchdowns on 39 runs, Smith surpassed Florida’s 40-year-old single-game rushing record.
Smith broke the 1,000 yard rushing barrier in just 7 games as a freshman, which is the quickest of any athlete to do it to start a college career. Smith’s second season was curtailed by a knee injury that kept him out for four games. The success resurfaced when he was healthy in his junior year as he continued to shatter records at Florida and was awarded an All-American. Smith had 58 Florida Gator records by the end of his undergraduate career.
NFL Draft: Emmitt Smith
NFL organizations were concerned Smith was too short and slow for the NFL despite his impressive tenure at Florida. In the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft, Smith fell all the way to the 17th pick, and the Dallas Cowboys quickly traded up to choose arguably the best running back in NFL history.
NFL Career and Achievements of Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith would do what he had been used to doing his entire life as a member of the Dallas Cowboys: win and set records. The Cowboys won three Super Bowls while Smith was in the backfield. In addition, Smith earned himself eight Pro Bowl appearances, six All-Pro team selections, four running championships, the NFL MVP, the Super Bowl MVP, and more. His 164 career rushing touchdowns, 18,355 lifetime rushing yards, and 78 career games with at least 100 rushing yards all set NFL records. Emmitt Smith left the Cowboys after 13 seasons and accepted a contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Before announcing his retirement, he lived in Arizona for two seasons.
Aspects of Emmitt Smith’s Playing
Smith was a very efficient running back despite not being the flashiest or fastest. He was most well-known for being able to gain yards on plays that looked lost. He was a strong back with exceptional vision and strong legs. Smith is regarded as one of the all-time great NFL second-effort rushers.
In his first year of eligibility, Emmitt Smith was chosen to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, in 2010.
Vital Statistics
- Born: Emmitt James Smith, III – May 15, 1969 – Pensacola, Florida
- Drafted: The Dallas Cowboys selected Emmitt Smith No. 17 overall in the 1990 NFL Draft.
- Years Played: 1990-2004
- Position Played: Running Back
- Played For: Dallas Cowboys (1990-2002), Arizona Cardinals (2003-2004)
- Alma Mater: Florida
- Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: 2010
- Other Members Inducted in 2010: Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Dick LeBeau, Floyd Little, John Randle, Jerry Rice
- Uniform Number: 22
Most Popular For:
Emmitt Smith is most known for setting the NFL record for most rushing yards on October 27, 2002, when he surpassed Walter Payton’s previous mark of 18,355 yards. In addition, he was the featured running back for three Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys teams and holds the career record for the most rushing touchdowns.
Favorite Season:
Emmitt Smith had a number of outstanding seasons, but his 1995 season with 1,773 running yards and 25 touchdowns was likely his greatest. He gained 4.7 yards per rush on the season and added 375 yards on 62 receptions.
NFL Career Totals:
- Rushing – 4,409 Carries for 18,355 Yards and 164 Touchdowns
- Receiving – 515 Receptions for 3,224 Yards and 11 Touchdowns
NFL Highlights:
- Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2010)
- Selected for the Pro Bowl 8 Times (1990-95, 1998-99))
- Selected First-Team All-Pro 4 Times (1992-95)
- Named to NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
- Offensive Rookie of the Year (1990)
- Awarded NFL MVP (1993)
- Super Bowl MVP (XXVIII)
