Pro Football Hall of Fame Running Back
Emmitt Smith is the National Football League's all-time leading rusher, a three-time Super Bowl champion, and a member of the 2010 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A first-round pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, Smith was the cornerstone of the Dallas Cowboys' offense for 12 seasons. The eight-time Pro Bowler was the first player in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in 11 consecutive seasons and on October 27, 2002 he surpassed Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leading rusher. Smith finished his 14-year career with 18,355 rushing yards and led the NFL in rushing four times; he was the league MVP in 1993, MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII and helped guide the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles. His 175 total touchdowns rank second in NFL history.
Smith played his final two NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2003 and 2004) before signing a one-day contract in February 2005 so he could officially retire as a Cowboy. In September 2005, Smith was added to the Cowboys Ring of Honor with former teammates Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007 and was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2010.
Smith previously served as an NFL Network studio analyst in 2005 and also appeared as a guest college football analyst during Fox's "BCS National Championship" pre-game coverage in January 2007. Smith also worked for two years as an in-studio analyst on ESPN's "NFL Countdown". Smith's post-career television experience also includes winning the third season of ABC's popular primetime reality show "Dancing with the Stars" in the fall of 2006, and a feature on NBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" in the Spring of 2010. In 2012, Smith was asked back to Dancing with the Stars to participate on their All-Stars season.
A native of Pensacola, FL, Smith fulfilled a promise to his mother and took classes during his NFL off-seasons in order to earn his bachelor's degree in public recreation from the University of Florida in 1996. Smith remains active in various charitable organizations and also serves as president of SmithCypress Partners, a joint-venture partnership, and is CEO of ESmith Legacy, Inc, both based in Dallas. Smith's involvement in the community has led to him being recognized as the 2012 Dallas "Father of the Year," an honor that awards those who are both pillars of their communities and devoted dads. Emmitt lives with his wife Pat in Dallas, Texas with their five children.