Pro Career
In nine seasons, Emmitt Smith has become one of the all-time great running backs in NFL history,
amassing 12,566 rushing yards, four NFL rushing titles, three Super Bowl titles and a league (1993) and
Super Bowl (XXVIII) MVP award. When looking at Smith's career numbers, NFL history provides a short
list of players with which to compare him. Smith already stands fifth in NFL history in rushing yards and
will move into third with 694 yards in 1999. Smith is the NFL's career rushing touchdowns leader with
125 and stands third in league annals in total touchdowns with 134, 11 touchdowns behind second
place Marcus Allen. Already the first player in NFL history with five straight seasons with over 1,400
yards rushing, Smith and Jim Brown are the only players with seven straight 10-touchdown seasons to
start their career. With 1,332 yards rushing in 1998, Smith became the third player in NFL history to
rush for 1,000 yards in eight consecutive seasons, and with 1,000 yards in 1999, he would become just
the second to extend that streak to nine. With a NFL record 25 touchdowns in 1995, Smith scored 100
career touchdowns in just six seasons, the fastest anyone in league history has reached that mark (he
tied Brown's NFL record by scoring 100 touchdowns in just 93 career games). His 125 career rushing
touchdowns in 140 games gives him a 0.89 per game scoring average, second behind Brown's 0.90 for
tops among the all-time rushing touchdown scorers (John Riggins 0.59 and Walter Payton 0.58 are next
on the list). Along with establishing a NFL record with 25 touchdowns in a season in 1995, Smith has
also set NFL records for most touchdowns over a two (47 touchdowns), three (62), four (76), five (91),
six (104), seven (115), eight (119) and nine-year (134) span. Smith is one of only three players in Dallas
history with three career 100 point seasons, and he is the only non-kicker to accomplish the feat. His
value to the Cowboys' success can be seen in the club's 82-14 mark when he carries the ball
20-or-more times a game and 53-9 record when he rushes for 100 yards. The century mark has become
a big number in Smith's career, having rushed for 100 yards in 132-of-239 games dating back to high
school (45-of-49 at Escambia H.S., 25-of-34 at Florida and 62-of-156 at Dallas, including playoffs).
Included in Smith's club-record 55 regular season 100-yard rushing games are 11 of the top 15
performances in team history and 17 days with over 150 yards (the fifth highest total of 150-yard games
in NFL history). In NFL annals, Smith's 55 100-yard rushing games rank him fifth all-time. One reason
Smith has become such a workhorse in the Dallas offense over the years has been his ability to answer
the bell at gametime, starting 164 of a potential 168 games with Dallas - including playoffs. The only
missed start he has in his career due to injury came in the season finale at the N.Y. Giants on Dec. 24,
1994. Smith has accumulated a number of NFL postseason records, including rushing touchdowns (18),
consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (eight) and 100-yard rushing games (seven). His 1,487
yards rushing in the postseason is the second highest figure in NFL history behind Franco Harris' 1,556
yards. Not limited to rushing and scoring, Smith is fourth on the Cowboys all-time reception list with 415
career catches.
1998
With a re-surgance that saw him rush for more yards and touchdowns than he's had in a season since
1995, Smith continued his movement through NFL and Cowboys record books. With 1,332 yards
rushing, he became just the third person in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in eight consecutive
seasons while finishing fourth in the NFC, fifth in the NFL, in rushing. He finished second in the NFC,
fourth in the NFL, with 13 rushing touchdowns, giving him a NFL record 125 career-rushing touchdowns.
With his seventh Pro Bowl selection, he became the only offensive player in club history to be invited to
Hawaii that many times. Only Bob Lilly (11 times), Mel Renfro (10) and Randy White (nine) have more
Pro Bowl selections than Smith in Cowboys history.
1997
Smith's assault on the Dallas Cowboys and NFL record books continued at a hectic pace during the
1997 season. With 1,074 yards rushing, he became just the fourth player in league history to top the
1,000 yard mark for seven consecutive seasons, finishing the year fifth in the NFC and 12th in the NFL
in rushing yards. His 1,308 total yards from scrimmage marked the eighth straight season he has
topped the 1,000 yard mark in that category. Returning from offseason ankle surgery, Smith opened the
season with 26 carries for 69 yards and three receptions for 25 yards in the 37-7 win at Pittsburgh
(8/31). He had a season-high 132 yards rushing, including a season-long 44-yard carry, at Arizona (9/7)
the following week. He did that despite missing part of the fourth quarter and overtime after suffering
bruised ribs on his right side. The 44-yard run was his longest since a 60-yard touchdown run in the
1995 season opener at the Giants. With his yardage against the Cardinals, he moved past O.J.
Anderson (10,273) into 11th place on the NFL's all-time rushing chart. Early in the season against NFC
East foes, Smith posted a season-high 27 carries for 91 yards against Philadelphia (9/15) on Monday
Night Football and had a season-high six receptions and 91 yards rushing on 19 carries at N.Y. Giants
(10/5). With two receptions for 23 yards at Washington (10/13), Smith moved past Bob Hayes (365) into
fifth place on the team's all-time reception list with 366 career catches. In a 26-22 come-from-behind win
over Jacksonville (10/19), he ran 24 times for 75 yards and scored on a one-yard run, his first touchdown
of the season. For the second time in 1997, Smith topped the 100-yard mark with 126 yards on 25
carries at Philadelphia (10/26), and he also led the team in receptions with five for 36 yards. After
straining his left groin early in the second quarter at San Francisco (11/2), he was forced from the game
with just seven carries for 31 yards. He returned to the starting line-up the following week against
Arizona (11/9) and rushed 15 times for 64 yards and a touchdown. It was his 117th career touchdown,
moving him past John Riggins and into fifth place on the NFLOs all-time touchdown list. With 99 yards
on 21 carries against Washington (11/16), Smith moved past the 11,000-yard mark for career rushing
yards, becoming the 11th player in NFL history to pass that milestone. He also added four receptions
for 31 yards, tying him with Tony Dorsett for fourth on the Cowboys all-time reception list with 382
career catches. Smith broke loose on a 21-yard touchdown run at Green Bay (11/23), giving him 111
rushing touchdowns for his career, which placed him in sole possession of second place on the NFLOs
all-time rushing touchdown list. He finished the day with 11 carries for 59 yards. Smith picked up 22
yards on 10 carries and three receptions for 20 yards against Tennessee (11/27) before leaving the
game with a bruised left shoulder early in the third quarter. He started against Carolina (12/8) but
re-aggravated the shoulder on the first drive and did not return, finishing the day with two carries for three
yards. While battling the flu at Cincinnati (12/14), Smith ran 12 times for a team-high 68 yards, pushing
his season rushing total over the 1,000-yard mark for the seventh consecutive season. He closed out
the season with 13 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown against the N.Y. Giants (12/21).
1996
Despite battling numerous injuries he was able to rush for over 1,200 (1,204) yards for the sixth
consecutive season...Tied for third in the NFL with 15 touchdowns.
1995
The 1995 season was a record-breaking year for Smith as he established an NFL mark for touchdowns
in a season with 25...Smith led the NFL in rushing with 1,773 yards, the fourth time in five years he had
captured the league's rushing crown...Also led the league in yards from scrimmage (2,148), rushing
attempts (377) and scoring (150 points)...Earned consensus All-Pro honors and was a Pro Bowl
selection.
1994
He led the NFL with 22 touchdowns and tied for second in scoring with 132 points...Had 1,484 yards on
368 carries...Did not fumble once in the 449 times he touched the football on carries or catches...All-Pro
and Pro Bowl honors as well.
1993
Recipient of the NFL MVP Award...Also earned consensus All-Pro honors...Became only the fourth
player to win three straight league rushing titles...Led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage with 1,900
(1,486 rushing/414 receiving) and had an amazing average of 5.3 yards per carry.
1992
Smith set a Dallas rushing record with 1,713 yards with 18 rushing touchdowns and 19 TDs
overall...Was the first player since Walter Payton in 1984-85 with consecutive 1,500-yard
seasons...Also had 59 receptions (tops in the NFC among running backs) for 335 yards...Smith's 2,048
yards from scrimmage led the NFC.
1991
First time leading the NFL in rushing with 1,563 yards...First Cowboy to ever lead the NFL in
rushing...At 22 years and 7 months, he became the youngest player in league history to rush for over
1,500 yards in a season...Earned himself a starting spot in the Pro Bowl.
1990
Despite missing training camp and the preseason, he still finished fifth in the NFC with 937 rushing
yards, tops among rookies...In addition, his 11 rushing touchdowns led NFL rookies.
College Highlights
An All-America and three-time All-SEC selection at Florida, Smith established 58 school records in
three seasons, including career rushing mark (3,928 yards)...He surpassed the 1,000 yard mark in his
seventh game, faster than anyone else in college football history...Earned Freshman of the Year honors
and finished in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy balloting...In three seasons he became the fifth all-time
rusher in SEC history and led the Gators in receiving in two of three seasons.
