Emmitt Smith

Emmitt Smith is an American former professional football player whose 15-season Major League Baseball career produced the all-time NFL career rushing yards record (18,355 yards) — a record he set with the Dallas Cowboys in October 2002 and which has stood ever since. He was born Emmitt James Smith III on May 15, 1969, in Pensacola, Florida. He played college football at the University of Florida (1987–1989), where he was a three-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.

He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 17th overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft. His 13-season Cowboys career (1990–2002) produced three Super Bowl championships (Super Bowl XXVII over the Buffalo Bills in 1993, Super Bowl XXVIII over the Buffalo Bills in 1994, and Super Bowl XXX over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1996) — making the Cowboys one of the NFL dynasties of the 1990s. He was the Super Bowl XXVIII Most Valuable Player.

He won the NFL rushing-yards championship in four consecutive seasons (1991, 1992, 1993, 1995) — an three-year-streak that established him as one of the NFL running-back greats of the 1990s. He was the 1993 NFL Most Valuable Player and the 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995 First-Team All-Pro selection. His career rushing yards (18,355), career rushing touchdowns (164), and career rushing first downs (1,002) all remain all-time NFL records.

He spent his final two NFL seasons (2003–2004) with the Arizona Cardinals before retiring in February 2005. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 in his first year of eligibility. His post-NFL career has included substantial American TV-personality work (iconic 2006 winner of ABC's Dancing with the Stars Season 3) and substantial real-estate-and-business work through his Smith and Associates business firm. He continues to be one of the American Cowboys-cultural figures and has been continuously visible across American football-related TV programs.

His name Emmitt is the modern American spelling variant of Emmett (from Old Germanic Emma plus a patronymic ending). Emmitt has been continuously among the most-popular American boys' names for decades.