Emmitt Smith’s Greatness

Silver N Blue

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Emmitt's the greatest RB of all-time, and the ONLY reason people hesitate to call him that is because he was a Cowboy.

His resume speaks for itself. No other RB even comes close to what #22 accomplished.
:hammer::hammer::hammer:
 

Hawkeye19

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Emmitt is the GOAT. There were better “pure runners” than him. Better overall “athletes”.

But none of them can touch his championship level heart, toughness, will to win, durability, and consistency in production.

He is the Tom Brady of RBs. Championship caliber excellence over his entire career. Very likely his record stands unbroken.
 

offlimits

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Wife and I were there, when he broke the rushing record, against Seattle. Texas Stadium. October 27th. 2002. We have a framed picture along with the game tickets. My family was long-time season ticket holders... decades. You, kids, won't believe it but the price of the game ticket was? $37 and that included all taxes. Seriously. You guys have no idea how much better life was then. No comparison to today.
 

Smith22

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Emmitt is the GOAT. There were better “pure runners” than him. Better overall “athletes”.

But none of them can touch his championship level heart, toughness, will to win, durability, and consistency in production.

He is the Tom Brady of RBs. Championship caliber excellence over his entire career. Very likely his record stands unbroken.
100% spot on!
 

StarGazer1

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Emmitt was great and I love him, but he had the Great Wall to run behind. That's way oversimplified and doesn't cover his receptions, or blocking, or toughness. Just saying that he owes a lot to years of top NFL OL.
The Great Wall owes a lot of their success to Emmitt too. Larry Allen is the only member of the Great Wall in the HOF. Shouldn't they all be in the HOF if they are the reason for Emmitt's success?
 

Fla Cowpoke

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Besides Barry Sanders, Who WAS ?????

No shade on Zeke !!!!!! Look the dude played Balls out for the Dallas Cowboys.

Forever 21

20
1Emmitt Smith+18,3551990-20042TM
2Walter Payton+16,7261975-1987chi
3Frank Gore16,0002005-20205TM
4Barry Sanders+15,2691989-1998det
5Adrian Peterson14,9182007-20217TM
6Curtis Martin+14,1011995-20052TM
7LaDainian Tomlinson+13,6842001-20112TM
8Jerome Bettis+13,6621993-20052TM
9Eric Dickerson+13,2591983-19934TM
10Tony Dorsett+12,7391977-19882TM
11Jim Brown+12,3121957-1965cle
12Marshall Faulk+12,2791994-20052TM
13Edgerrin James+12,2461999-20093TM
14Marcus Allen+12,2431982-19972TM
15Franco Harris+12,1201972-19842TM
16Thurman Thomas+12,0741988-20002TM
17Fred Taylor11,6951998-20102TM
18Steven Jackson11,4382004-20153TM
19John Riggins+11,3521971-19852TM
The one name on there that is so surprising is Frank Gore....dude was also a warrior. Much more injury concerns but just kept coming back.

There are several that looked like they could challenge the record early on like Curtis Martin and LDT, but they hit the wall quickly at a certain point.
 

Fla Cowpoke

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The Great Wall owes a lot of their success to Emmitt too. Larry Allen is the only member of the Great Wall in the HOF. Shouldn't they all be in the HOF if they are the reason for Emmitt's success?
Yep, the OL was great, but Emmitt made them look better than they were. Can't tell you how many times he should have been dead to rights in the backfield, only to juke the defender and make 5 to 10 yards. Tuinei was a converted defensive lineman. Newton was a side show freak. Stepnoski was a miniature center, 6'2 and 265 lbs. Erik Williams could have been the best ever but we all know his story. Even Allen was a project, but he quickly showed he was special.

I honestly think that there were none better as a complete running back. Emmitt could do it all. Short yardage, passing game, pass protection, big plays. Barry Sanders might have been more exciting in the open field, but they pulled him at the goal line. Payton was the closest in my mind as an all around back.
 

joseephuss

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Emmitt is the only running back in the ENTIRE HISTORY of football to be his state's all-time leading rusher in high school, school's all-time leading rusher in college, and the NFL's all-time leading rusher.
Quite an impressive feat. It truly is remarkable what he was able to accomplish. Of course two of those records have been surpassed, but I truly doubt the NFL mark will ever be matched.
 

Bigtex67

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Besides Barry Sanders, Who WAS ?????

No shade on Zeke !!!!!! Look the dude played Balls out for the Dallas Cowboys.

Forever 21

20
1Emmitt Smith+18,3551990-20042TM
2Walter Payton+16,7261975-1987chi
3Frank Gore16,0002005-20205TM
4Barry Sanders+15,2691989-1998det
5Adrian Peterson14,9182007-20217TM
6Curtis Martin+14,1011995-20052TM
7LaDainian Tomlinson+13,6842001-20112TM
8Jerome Bettis+13,6621993-20052TM
9Eric Dickerson+13,2591983-19934TM
10Tony Dorsett+12,7391977-19882TM
11Jim Brown+12,3121957-1965cle
12Marshall Faulk+12,2791994-20052TM
13Edgerrin James+12,2461999-20093TM
14Marcus Allen+12,2431982-19972TM
15Franco Harris+12,1201972-19842TM
16Thurman Thomas+12,0741988-20002TM
17Fred Taylor11,6951998-20102TM
18Steven Jackson11,4382004-20153TM
19John Riggins+11,3521971-19852TM
I think the one that really surprises me is John Riggins. For some reason I only remember him as a between the tackles power back at a 2-3 yard per carry guy.
 

JonesBoys

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Emmitt was great and I love him, but he had the Great Wall to run behind. That's way oversimplified and doesn't cover his receptions, or blocking, or toughness. Just saying that he owes a lot to years of top NFL OL.
He didn't have that great o-line after 95. In fact most of his career he didn't. Maybe from 91-95, he played from1990-2004
 

Thomas82

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As great as The Great Wall was, they benefit more from revisionist history than any other O-line ever. When Emmitt became a Cowboy, he ran behind 80% of the starting unit from the 1-15 team. He also won the OROY award behind that line, while another College Football Hall Of Fame running back couldn't even get 500 yards after Herschel Walker was traded. Oh, and 4 O-line starters and 7 of the 11 offensive starters on the 1992 Super Bowl team were holdovers from the 1-15 team.
 

xwalker

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The Great Wall owes a lot of their success to Emmitt too. Larry Allen is the only member of the Great Wall in the HOF. Shouldn't they all be in the HOF if they are the reason for Emmitt's success?
Erik Williams should be in the HoF.
 

Established1971

fiveandcounting
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Besides Barry Sanders, Who WAS ?????

No shade on Zeke !!!!!! Look the dude played Balls out for the Dallas Cowboys.

Forever 21

20
1Emmitt Smith+18,3551990-20042TM
2Walter Payton+16,7261975-1987chi
3Frank Gore16,0002005-20205TM
4Barry Sanders+15,2691989-1998det
5Adrian Peterson14,9182007-20217TM
6Curtis Martin+14,1011995-20052TM
7LaDainian Tomlinson+13,6842001-20112TM
8Jerome Bettis+13,6621993-20052TM
9Eric Dickerson+13,2591983-19934TM
10Tony Dorsett+12,7391977-19882TM
11Jim Brown+12,3121957-1965cle
12Marshall Faulk+12,2791994-20052TM
13Edgerrin James+12,2461999-20093TM
14Marcus Allen+12,2431982-19972TM
15Franco Harris+12,1201972-19842TM
16Thurman Thomas+12,0741988-20002TM
17Fred Taylor11,6951998-20102TM
18Steven Jackson11,4382004-20153TM
19John Riggins+11,3521971-19852TM
Jim Brown, OJ Simpson, Tony Dorsett, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton

cant just look at total yards
 
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