Emmitt Smith's rushing record faces a rare, though still unlikely, challenger

[RonnieT24]

Emmitt's record is about durability and availability as much as anything. He wasn't the biggest or most talented rb in the league even in his prime, but he had the biggest heart. He wasn't Barry Sanders who would own every record if he didn't retire in his prime. Emmitt showed up every week and wore defenses down over 4 quarters. He played his best football on the biggest stages. He was a gamer. We don't see that kind of toughness anymore. We don't see that kind of love for football anymore.

I am always compelled to respond to this every time someone posts it. The fact of the matter is Emmitt went 3000+ yards further with the ball than Barry did. Emmitt WANTED that record.. Barry didn't. At least not enough to sacrifice his body for they way Emmitt did. I firmly believe that even if Barry had played another 2-3 years and pushed the record up to 19K or close to 20K Emmitt simply would have kept playing until HE had the record. Period. I don't think people fully understand how determined Emmitt was to get that record. Nor do I think they fully understand that Barry's body was not going to allow him to keep playing at that same level for another 4-5 years like people assume. It don't work that way.