NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

Dallas Cowboys: 15 Best players in team history

By Randy Gurzi

Troy Aikman #8, Quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys hands off to running back Emmitt Smith #22 during the National Football Conference West game against the San Francisco 49ers on 13 November 1994 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California, United States. The 49ers won the game 21 - 14. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Allsport/Getty Images)
Troy Aikman #8, Quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys hands off to running back Emmitt Smith #22 during the National Football Conference West game against the San Francisco 49ers on 13 November 1994 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California, United States. The 49ers won the game 21 - 14. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Allsport/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
15 of 16
Next
30 Jan 1994: RUNNING BACK EMMITT SMITH OF THE DALLAS COWBOYS SCORES A TOUCHDOWN DURING THE COWBOYS 30-13 VICTORY OVER THE BUFFALO BILLS IN SUPER BOWL XXVIII AT THE GEORGIA DOME IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. SMITH RUSHED FOR TWO TOUCHDOWNS AND WAS SELECTED AS THE G
30 Jan 1994: RUNNING BACK EMMITT SMITH OF THE DALLAS COWBOYS SCORES A TOUCHDOWN DURING THE COWBOYS 30-13 VICTORY OVER THE BUFFALO BILLS IN SUPER BOWL XXVIII AT THE GEORGIA DOME IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. SMITH RUSHED FOR TWO TOUCHDOWNS AND WAS SELECTED AS THE G /

. Running Back. (1990-2002). Emmitt Smith. 2. player. 123

There was so much gained for Dallas when they traded Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings, but it’s hard to argue that anyone obtained in that deal was a bigger catalyst for their success in the 1990s than running back Emmitt Smith.

Originally in the 1990 NFL Draft, the team wanted linebacker James Francis, but after he was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 12, Dallas changed gears. They wound up moving up a few spaces from the pick Minnesota surrendered to them and took Smith out of Florida.

More from NFL Spin Zone

Concerns about his size and lack of breakaway speed worried teams. However, the 5-9, 210-pound Smith, and his 4.7 speed ended up being the steal of the draft.

He ran away with the NFL Rookie of the Year award after ripping off 937 yards and 11 touchdowns. That was the last time he went for less than 1,000 yards until his final season with the Boys. That last season with the team that drafted him came in 2002 when Smith had 975 yards and five scores.

By that time, he had made it to eight Pro Bowls and was a huge part of all three Super Bowl wins in the 1990s. He was also the NFL leading rusher after recording 17,162 yards on the ground.

Smith played two more seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and after an injury-plagued 2003 campaign, he put up a respectable 937 yards and nine touchdowns at age 35. That left him with a career total of 18,355 yards on the ground which is still No. 1 in league history.

Home/Dallas Cowboys