Emmitt Smith is an American retired professional football player. Smith spent the majority of his 15-year career with the Cowboys, although he also concluded with the Arizona Cardinals. During his career, he earned a total of $61 million in pay. He earned millions more through endorsements and went on to become an extraordinarily wealthy real estate developer after retiring.
Emmitt is the all-time top rusher in the league, with 18,355 yards. In addition to his individual achievements, Smith had significant success with the Cowboys, winning the Super Bowl three times alongside his teammates.
Emmitt Smith Bio/Wiki
Emmitt Smith’s family and relatives call him Emmitt. He is a very kind person. His favorite place is Paris. He believes in the Christian religion. Emmitt belongs to a mixed ethnicity. His nationality is American. He daily goes to the gym.
Real Name | Emmitt James Smith |
Nickname | Emmitt Smith |
Age | 54 years |
Date Of Birth | 15th May 1969 |
Birth Place | Pensacola, Florida, USA |
Height | 5 feet 9 inches |
Weight | 98kg |
Eye Colour | Black |
Hair Colour | Black |
Hometown | Dallas, Texas, USA |
Marital Status | Married |
Wife | Patricia Southall |
Nationality | American |
Profession | Former American footballer, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and author |
Estimated Net Worth in 2023 (Approx) | $28 million |
Parents | Mary Clements and Emmitt James Smith II |
Children | 4 |
Ethinicity | African-American |
Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
NFL Drafts | Dallas Cowboys in 1990/Round 1/ Pick 17 |
NFL Seasons | 15 |
Position | Running Back |
Number | 22 |
Rushing Yards | 18345 |
Retirement | 2005 |
Sexual Orientation | Straight |
High School | Escambia High School |
Number | The University of Florida |
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Emmitt Smith Early Life
Smith, the son of Mary J. Smith and Emmitt James Smith, Jr., was born in Pensacola, Florida. At the age of eight, he played his first organized football game on a Salvation Army-sponsored squad. He went to Escambia High School in Pensacola, where he ran track and played football for the Escambia Gators.
Escambia won two state football titles during Smith’s high school career, and he carried for 106 touchdowns and 8,804 yards, which was the second-most yardage in American high school football history at the time. Emmitt carried for more than 100 yards in 45 of the 49 games he started for Escambia (including the last 28 in a row) and averaged 7.8 yards per carry. He broke the 2,000-yard running record twice in a season.
Smith participated in track and field as a sprinter and as a member of the 4 100 m (42.16 s) relay team. Smith was selected the 1986 USA Today and Parade magazine high school player of the year for his accomplishments. The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) selected Smith to its All-Century Team and recognized him as the Florida high school football “Player of the Century” in 2007, twenty years after he graduated from high school.
Despite his successes and honors, several college recruiting experts said that when he agreed to play for the University of Florida, he was too little and too sluggish to thrive in big college football. Recruiting analyst Max Emfinger did not rank Smith among the top 50 high school running backs in his class and stated, “Emmitt Smith is more of a lugger than a runner. He’s not quick. He is unable to round the bend. Remember where you originally heard it as he falls flat on his face.
At the University of Florida, Smith was inducted into the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. During the NFL offseason, he returned to the university to finish his studies, and he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public recreation in May 1996. Smith is an ardent Christian.
He and ex-girlfriend Hope Wilson have a daughter, Reagan Smith (born November 2, 1998). On April 22, 2000, he married Patricia Southall, the former Miss Virginia USA beauty queen. Emmitt James Smith IV (born May 15, 2002), Skylar Smith (born October 15, 2003), and Elijah Alexander James Smith are their three children (born September 22, 2010).
Smith is also the stepfather of Southall’s daughter with ex-husband, actor-comedian Martin Lawrence, Jasmine Page Lawrence (born January 15, 1996). Emory, his brother, was a member of the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers practice teams. E.J. Smith, his eldest son, has committed to play collegiate football at Stanford in 2020.
Emmitt Smith Family
On April 22, 2000, he married Patricia Southall (50), the former Miss Virginia. She was born in Chesapeake, Virginia on December 17, 1970. Pat Smith Enterprises CEO, philanthropist, American spokeswoman, and novelist is James’ wife.
Emmitt Smith IV is Emmitt Smith’s son from his marriage to her (2002) Skylar Smith, Elizabeth Paige (2003) Alexander, Elijah Smith, James (2010) Meanwhile, Emmit and ex-girlfriend Hope Wilson have a daughter named Rheagen Smith, and Patricia has a daughter from a former marriage to actor Martin Lawrence. Martin and Patricia married in 1995, had Jasmine Page on January 15, 1996, and divorced in 1997.
Emmitt Smith Height, Weight, And Body Measurements
Emmitt’s height is around 6 feet 2 inches and his weight is 75 kg. His chest is 40 inches, his waist is 36 inches, and his biceps size is 17 inches. He wears a shoes of 10 (US) size. His eye color is black.
Height |
6 Feet 2 Inches |
Weight |
75 Kg. |
Body Measurements |
40-36-17 Inches |
Biceps Size |
17 Inches |
Shoe Size |
10 (US) |
Eye Color |
Black |
Hair Color |
Black |
Emmitt Smith Professional Career
- The Dallas Cowboys considered drafting linebacker James Francis with their first-round pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, but after he was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cowboys focused on improving their running game when Smith started dropping because some NFL teams still felt that Smith was too small and slow for the pro game, despite his collegiate success.
- The Cowboys moved up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, moving from 21st to 17th in return for a third-round draught pick (#81-Craig Veasey), allowing them to choose Smith in the first round.
- Despite missing the whole preseason following the longest rookie holdout in team history.
- He started 15 games, rushed for 937 yards and 11 touchdowns, and was voted NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl selection.
- Smith’s Cowboys’ #22 jersey is on display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- He had 1,563 running yards and 12 touchdowns in 1991.
- He also won the first of four running crowns after gaining 160 yards in the season finale against the Atlanta Falcons.
- With 1,713 yards running in 1992, he set the Cowboys’ single-season franchise record and won the rushing title.
- He was also the only player in league history to win both the running championship and the Super Bowl in the same season.
- He missed all of training camp and the first two regular-season games in 1993.
- With youngster Derrick Lassic filling in for him, the Cowboys lost both games.
- With the season on the line, the Cowboys agreed to a deal that made Smith the highest-paid running back in the league.
- Smith rushed for 1,486 yards and nine touchdowns, helping the Cowboys win their first Super Bowl despite starting the season 0-2.
- In addition, he was named league MVP and Super Bowl XXVIII MVP.
- On October 31, he established the single-season franchise record with 237 running yards against the Philadelphia Eagles.
- With the Cowboys frantically striving to capture the NFC East championship and a first-round bye in the playoffs, his career hallmark game occurred in the season finale against the New York Giants.
- Despite fighting a hamstring strain late in the season, Smith led the league with 21 running touchdowns the next season, a new career record.
- However, the Cowboys were defeated by the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.
- Smith established the NFL record with 25 running touchdowns in 1995, becoming the first player in league history to carry for 1,400 yards or more in five consecutive seasons.
- Smith, Jim Brown, Adrian Peterson, and LaDainian Tomlinson are the only players to begin their careers with seven straight ten-touchdown seasons.
- He also shattered two of Tony Dorsett’s Dallas franchise rushing marks, the first for the most consecutive games with 100+ running yards in a season (Smith’s four to Dorsett’s three) and the second for single-season rushing yards.
- Both marks would stand for 19 years until 2014 when DeMarco Murray carried for 100 yards or more in each of his first eight games, totaling 1,845 yards.
- In 1996, he scored his 100th career running touchdown and eclipsed 10,000 career rushing yards, becoming only the twelfth and youngest player in league history to do so.
- In 1998, he passed Dorsett to become the Cowboys’ all-time top rusher and the NFL’s all-time running touchdown leader (surpassing Marcus Allen).
- He went on to become the NFL’s all-time leader in career postseason running yards (1,586) and postseason rushing touchdowns the following year (19).
- Smith became the first player in NFL history to have 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and the first to have eleven 1,000-yard running seasons in his career with 1,021 rushing yards in 2001.
- In 2002, he achieved the target he set for himself as a rookie, ending the season with 17,162 career yards and surpassing Walter Payton’s NFL running record against the Seattle Seahawks.
- Following the season, the Cowboys hired Bill Parcells as head coach, who preferred younger running backs, and dismissed Smith on February 26, 2003.
- Smith signed a two-year free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals on March 26, 2003, who were not only seeking Smith to strengthen their squad but also to assist them in advertising it with their local fan base.
- When asked what he could achieve as a 34-year-old rushing back, he stated, “I think I’m a 1,300-yard back, and I’ll be out to show it.”
- Smith was named the Cardinals’ starting quarterback by head coach Dave McGinnis.
- On October 5, in a highly anticipated game against the Cowboys, he sustained a shattered left shoulder blade after safety Roy Williams struck him in the second quarter.
- Smith’s 6 carries for minus-1 yards marked the first time in his career that he ran for negative yardage.
- He missed six games due to the injury, and he completed the season with 256 running yards and an average of 2.8 yards per carrying.
- In 2004, Smith was designated the team’s starting running back by new head coach Dennis Green.
- He had 937 yards running and 9 touchdowns.
- He also became the oldest player in NFL history to throw his first touchdown pass, a 21-yard strike on a halfback option play on his only passing attempt.
- During his two years in Arizona, Smith rushed for 1,193 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 3.2 yards per carry.
- In his two years with the Arizona Cardinals, he also had 212 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns, and an average of 7.3 yards per reception.
- Smith announced his retirement from the NFL three days before Super Bowl XXXIX on February 3, 2005.
- He was not re-signed by the Cardinals and instead signed a one-day deal with the Dallas Cowboys for one dollar, after which he immediately resigned from the franchise with whom he had spent the majority of his career.
- Smith now owns the NFL record for career running yards with 18,355, topping Walter Payton’s previous mark on October 27, 2002.
- With 164 career rushing touchdowns, he leads all running backs, and his 175 total touchdowns are second only to Jerry Rice’s 208.
- His running yards, receiving yards (3,224), and fumble return yards (-15) total 21,564 yards from the line of scrimmage, making him one of only four players in NFL history to surpass the 21,000-yard mark. (Jerry Rice, Brian Mitchell, and Walter Payton are the others.)
- He is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with 4,409 attempts, the only player to have three seasons with 19 or more touchdowns, and the record holder for most games with a touchdown and most games with a rushing touchdown (15), all established in 1995.
- Smith also set multiple NFL postseason milestones, including the most running touchdowns (19), the most consecutive games with a rushing score (9), and the most 100-yard rushing games (9).
- His 1,586 yards of running ranks first in the NFL postseason, and he shares the playoff touchdown record of 21 with Thurman Thomas.
- Smith earned three Super Bowl rings with the Cowboys, rushing for over 100 yards in two of them, Super Bowl XXVII (108 yards and a touchdown, plus six receptions for 27 yards) and Super Bowl XXVIII (108 yards and a score, plus six receptions for 27 yards) (132 yards and two touchdowns, and four receptions for 26 yards).
- Smith became the first and only Cowboys running back to earn the Super Bowl MVP award in Super Bowl XXVIII.
- In Super Bowl XXX, he also had two touchdowns.
- Smith is one of just five NFL players with over 10,000 running yards and 400 catches in his career.
- Smith and Jerry Rice are the only non-kickers to score 1,000 points in a career in the NFL.
Emmitt Smith Net Worth
The retired player’s net worth is around $28 million in 2023, while his spouse’s net worth is approximately $500,000. So, how much money did he make over his career? Emmitt Smith Enterprises, Inc.’s President and CEO is the star.
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FAQs About Emmitt Smith
The net worth of Emmitt Smith is $28 million.
Emmitt Smith is 54 years old as of 2023.
Who is Emmitt Smith married to?
Emmitt Smith married to Patricia Southall.
Emmitt’s height is 1.75 m.