Emmitt Smith will be the 10th Dallas Cowboy player to enter the NFL Hall of Fame this evening. Drafted by the Cowboys in the first round in 1990, Emmitt Smith was labeled as a slow running back that lacked size to compete in the NFL. Quoted in the Star Telegram, "I had some speed," Smith said. "My speed was kind of deceptive. I didn't have the 4.3- or the 4.2-like blazing speed, but I had enough speed to get from Point A to Point B and to do my job effectively." Four years later, Smith had rushed for 5,699 yards which was more than some of the all time greats like Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. A dangerous weapon Smith was, he amassed more total yards from scrimmage than Payton and Sanders with 21,579 yards. He is the only running back to have 11 straight 1,000 yards seasons in the NFL.
Here are more of Smith's accomplishments. Tomorrow everyone will be asking, “Who is the next all-time leading rusher?” For Emmitt, he has some important trends on his side:
No threats with durability
Emmitt’s records should be safe for a long time to come. None of the current backs are even in range of breaking the all-time leading rushing record. LaDainian Tomlinson leads all active backs with 12,490 yards but he is surly at the end of his career in New York. Fred Taylor is third among active running backs but it’s only a matter of time before the Patriots release him leading to his retirement. Maybe Adrian Peterson has a legitimate shot to catch Smith since he’s only been in the league for 3 years and is approaching 5,000 yards. We have some doubt about Peterson though because of his style of running. Emmitt had durability on his side, something most NFL running backs would slobber over today.
18 game seasons will help Smith
One thing that Smith definitely will have on his side is the NFL owners desire to extend the season to 18 games. Most teams use the “running back by committee” policy when it comes to the number of carries a back will get. Smith was the work horse for the Cowboys and rarely came out of the game on third downs. During his time, teams used one back to carry the load. If a team was not fortunate enough to have a versatile back like Emmitt, they brought in a pass catching back known as, “the third down back.” The 18 game seasons will almost make it impossible for today’s backs to stay healthy.
Pass Happy Saints
The league is moving into a pass-first phase with the comings of great quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. Just look at last year's Super Bowl that featured the pass happy Saints and Colts. During the 1970’s, a quarterback throwing 20 touchdowns would be an extraordinary accomplishment. Today, quarterbacks are throwing 25-35 touchdowns each year. The emphasis on the passing game will help keep Smith’s record safe and snuggled in the record books.
We’ll never know for sure if the record will stand forever. The next all-time leading rusher may be in junior high right now. Only time will tell if Smith’s records will stand the test of time. One thing is certain, we’ll all be watching.
Related links:
Emmitt's Bio
Emmitt Smith always knew which way to run, from Pensacola to Dallas-Star Telegram
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