Interview: Grinding to the Top of the NFL with HOF RB Emmitt Smith
ROSEMONT, Illinois – Even more than EF Hutton, when Emmitt Smith talks, especially about football, people listen. There are very few that have reached the pinnacle of their given profession and sustained their lofty perch, the former Dallas Cowboy running back is statistically the best that has ever played the position. Smith has 1,629 yards between him and Walter Payton on the all-time rushing list and is 6,932 yards ahead of the only active player (Derrick Henry) within reach.
From the 2025 National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago, the Hall of Fame tailback shared his thoughts on his playing career, the current stable of NFL running backs, and fanned on the 2025 Florida Gators season with QB DJ Lagway commanding the offense.
INTERVIEW
Mr. Smith, with all that you accomplished on the field, looking back, how do you view your NFL legacy?
“Legacy is defined differently for everybody. I look back over my accomplishments, I feel very blessed and very fortunate to be in a position or have been put in a position where I could actually maximize my talent. A lot of people don’t always get that opportunity.
“For me to be able to play for the Dallas Cowboys, and the other teams that I was on, being part of rebuilding an organization and being an integral part of it – I had done that before in high school. My freshman year in high school was kind of similar and going to the University of Florida was kind of similar as well.
“I was accustomed to being in those types of pressure situations, and it just worked out to where I had the right head coach with the right drive and the right focus and the right commitment and the right determination along with everyone else putting things together.
“When you look up, 15 years later, you have accomplished something that nobody else in the league has ever accomplished. It’s a wonderful feeling, but you know you put in that work to get it done.”
You mentioned all the rebuilding, all the success you’ve had with different teams, is there one year that stands out for you that maybe brings a little more pride with the success or is special to you in a different way?
“Yeah. When you think about the success that we were able to have in the early ‘90s and how that team was built, many people don’t think about it from this perspective, but our team was built to compete against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“In the early ‘90s, that defense that they had, that Buddy Ryan defense, that defense was so stout and so strong on so many different fronts. If we were built to last and built to withstand that type of pressure, we could go anyplace. Fortunately for us, we were built inside out. And what I mean by that is the D-line, O-line, and our running game. We were power and smash-mouth football, because that’s what we ran up against, a smash-mouth defense.
“The toughness, the calluses that we developed as a football team, the mental toughness was put in the cooking grinder, it was there. We were forged that way. That’s why we performed under pressure the way we did. And with the talent that we actually had too, so all that was good.”
There seems to be a rebirth, if you will, of utilizing the running back that was kind of lost. There are some fantastic backs in the league, are there any backs you enjoy watching? Are there any that maybe you see a glimpse of yourself in them?
“No, I don’t see myself in a lot of these guys. These guys are very unique in what they do and with their skill set as well. But, you know, Saquon Barkley (Eagles) and Derrick Henry (Ravens), I know how hard Derrick Henry works. I know. I’ve seen it. My son worked out with him before, so I’ve seen what it’s like. And I know it reminds me of how hard I used to work.
“Seeing a guy like Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley having the success that they’ve had and taking care of their bodies the way that they take care of their bodies, it doesn’t surprise me that they are as good as they are because they value this time in the National Football League. They value their skill set, they value their talent, and they want their talent to last as long as it possibly can. And the way that you do that is to preserve your body by taking care of your body and doing what is right all the time, not just some of the time.
“These guys look like they have been committed to their careers and to their organizations, and therefore the organizations are reaping the benefit of a player that’s committed. And when you have that, you need to be, as an organization, as committed to that player because that player is dedicated to becoming one of the best players in the National Football League history.
“When you got someone like that, you have to, you have to protect it. You have to meet it and give him every ounce of opportunity to be successful by surrounding him with quality players. Not taking his talent for granted or taking his time for granted or trying to sell more tickets or trying to sell jerseys, he’s trying to win championships and so should the organization.
“Yeah, there’s a number of backs out here that I see that I absolutely love. I mean, they got a great duo up in Detroit (Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery), Josh Jacobs (Green Bay), and Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco) when healthy. There are others as well.
“So, yes, if the coordinators can get their heads out their ass and get back to running the football like they used to, maybe the quarterbacks will be a lot better than they think they are.”
Given the playing connections to the university, are you following the Florida Gators this year?
“Yes, I am. DJ Lagway has the potential to be a phenomenal quarterback. It’s all about coaching and development of that player. At the end of the day, Florida wants him to develop into a quarterback that I think he can become.
“But how to develop him mentally and surround him with some quality talent. They have to take care of this kid, and not put him in positions to where, and when I mean develop a player, to where he can make decisions on the football field and don’t always have to look to the sideline to get answers. That’s not developing the player when you have to do that. That is being a robot to a system.
“Make your system to the point where that player can own his system. If he owns it, give him a chance to get a little bit of rope and see what he can do with it, because otherwise his natural talent, it’s untapped. Until you give him that kind of control to where he knows he can make a mistake here and not be overly criticized but he also knows he can grow in that area, that is wonderful.”
Within the hobby, given who you are and one of the greats of the game all-time, do you collect anything? Are there guys that preceded you like Mr. (Jim) Brown or Mr. (Gale) Sayers that you have their jerseys or anything like that?
“No, I don’t have a lot of Jim Brown stuff nor Gale Sayers’ stuff. I do have some Walter Payton stuff though. However, most of the things that I have collected, I collected throughout the years of playing the game when I went to the Pro Bowl, where you exchange helmets with guys and so forth. I’ve done that, but in recent times, no.”
At a Glance: Emmitt Smith’s Hall of Fame Career
Two-time Florida high school state champion with Escambia; rushed for 8,804 career yards with 106 touchdowns. Named 1986 National High School Player of the Year by USA Today, Parade Magazine, and Gatorade.
SEC Freshman of the Year (1987), three-time first team All-SEC (1987-89), and SEC MVP (1989).
1990 NFL first round pick, No. 17 overall by the Dallas Cowboys, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1990).
Four-time NFL rushing leader (1991-93, 1995) and three-time rushing TD leader (1992, 1994-95).
Eight Pro Bowls, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
NFL MVP 1993, Super Bowl XXVIII MVP (1994 vs. Buffalo), three-time Super Bowl champion.
NFL records: rushing yards (18,355), rushing touchdowns (164), rushing attempts (4,409).
Playing career: Dallas Cowboys 1990-2002, Arizona Cardinals 2003-2004.
