Nobody will argue that Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys is one of the premier running backs in National Football League history.
Since being drafted by the Cowboys in the first round (17th overall) in 1990 after his junior year at Florida, the 175-cm, 95-kg Smith wasted little time climbing to stardom. He has won three Super Bowls and four NFL rushing titles in his 10-year pro career. In the 1993 season, he was named both the league and Super Bowl MVP.
Statistically, Smith's 13,953 career rushing yards rank third, behind only Walter Payton's NFL all-time record and the recently retired Barry Sanders. In 1995, he set an NFL record for touchdowns in a season with 25. No running back has had more rushing touchdowns than Smith (136), who surpassed Marcus Allen in total TDs (147) last year and is ranked second only to Jerry Rice on the all-time list.