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DALSMITH22

Emmitt Smith

Retired

Arizona Cardinals · RB

Emmitt Smith recorded 226 indexed regular-season NFL appearances across 15 rostered seasons with ARZ, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys.

▶Best highlights

81.2

rush yds/gm

14.3

rec yds/gm

17

playoff games

226

career games

Five defining games

Start here

A researched consensus introduction to Emmitt Smith's defining games.

Editorial methodology and sources

Cross-checked Smith's Hall of Fame record, Dallas championship history, rushing milestones, and verified archive box scores. The separated-shoulder division clincher and Super Bowl MVP performance lead, followed by both NFC breakthroughs and the day he became the league's career rushing leader.

  1. #1. Smith played through a separated shoulder to produce 229 scrimmage yards in overtime, clinching the division and home-field advantage for the eventual champions. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Emmitt Smith
  2. #2. Smith rushed for 132 yards and two second-half touchdowns to turn Super Bowl XXVIII, earning MVP as Dallas secured consecutive championships. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Emmitt Smith
  3. #3. Smith amassed 173 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in San Francisco, driving the NFC Championship victory that launched the Cowboys dynasty. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Emmitt Smith
  4. #4. A year later Smith again scored twice and produced 173 scrimmage yards against San Francisco, sending Dallas back to the Super Bowl. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Emmitt Smith
  5. #5. Smith passed Walter Payton to become the NFL's career rushing leader, making the defining longevity record official during his 13th Dallas season. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Emmitt Smith

Reviewed through 2026-08-11

Regular Season
1993
DALLASCOWBOYS
NEW YORKGIANTS
JAN 2, 1994

Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants

Regular Season · Jan 2, 1994

168 rush yds · 0 rush TD · 10 rec

Super Bowl
XXVIII
BUFFALOBILLS
DALLASCOWBOYS
JAN 30, 1994

Buffalo Bills vs Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl XXVIII · Jan 30, 1994

132 rush yds · 2 rush TD · 4 rec

Conference Championship
1992
DALLASCOWBOYS
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
JAN 17, 1993

Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers

Conference Championship · Jan 17, 1993

114 rush yds · 1 rush TD · 7 rec

Conference Championship
1993
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
DALLASCOWBOYS
JAN 23, 1994

San Francisco 49ers vs Dallas Cowboys

Conference Championship · Jan 23, 1994

88 rush yds · 1 rush TD · 7 rec

Regular Season
2002
SEATTLESEAHAWKS
DALLASCOWBOYS
OCT 27, 2002

Seattle Seahawks vs Dallas Cowboys

Regular Season · Oct 27, 2002

109 rush yds · 1 rush TD · 1 rec

Single-game peaks

Career highs

Position-relevant single-game records from Emmitt Smith's indexed NFL box scores.

Career high: 237 rushing yards

Regular Season
1993
DALLASCOWBOYS
PHILADELPHIAEAGLES
OCT 31, 1993

Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles

Regular Season · Oct 31, 1993

237 rush yds · 1 rush TD · 0 rec

Career high: 4 rushing touchdowns

Regular Season
1995
DALLASCOWBOYS
NEW YORKGIANTS
SEP 4, 1995

Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants

Regular Season · Sep 4, 1995

163 rush yds · 4 rush TD · 1 rec

Career high: 31 carries

Regular Season
1999
MIAMIDOLPHINS
DALLASCOWBOYS
NOV 25, 1999

Miami Dolphins vs Dallas Cowboys

Regular Season · Nov 25, 1999

103 rush yds · 0 rush TD · 0 rec

Career high: 1 run of 40+ yards

Regular Season
2001
NEW YORKGIANTS
DALLASCOWBOYS
DEC 9, 2001

New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys

Regular Season · Dec 9, 2001

62 rush yds · 1 rush TD · 1 rec

Career high: 117 receiving yards

Regular Season
1990
DALLASCOWBOYS
LOS ANGELESRAMS
NOV 18, 1990

Dallas Cowboys vs Los Angeles Rams

Regular Season · Nov 18, 1990

54 rush yds · 0 rush TD · 4 rec

Career chapters

Franchise eras

Follow the team eras that shaped Emmitt Smith's career, in chronological order.

Earliest → latest

Franchise era

1989–1999

01
DALSMITH22Emmitt Smith
DALAIKMAN8Troy Aikman
DALIRVIN88Michael Irvin

A bold rebuild produces three championships

Dallas Cowboys · The Triplets dynasty

Jimmy Johnson converted the Herschel Walker trade into a deep young roster, and Dallas won three Super Bowls in four seasons.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

2000–2015

02
DALSMITH22Emmitt Smith
DALROMO9Tony Romo
DALWITTEN82Jason Witten

Undrafted improvisation restores contention

Dallas Cowboys · The Romo years

Romo developed into a prolific quarterback and gave Dallas repeated division titles, though a sequence of narrow playoff losses shaped the era's reputation.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1988–2003

03
ARISMITH22Emmitt Smith
ARIWILLIAMS35Aeneas Williams
ARIPLUMMER16Jake Plummer

A new market waits for a stable winner

Arizona Cardinals · Finding a home in Arizona

The move to the desert brought only one playoff appearance in sixteen seasons, though Williams became an all-time defender and Plummer authored a memorable upset in Dallas.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

2004–2012

04
ARISMITH22Emmitt Smith
ARIFITZGERALD11Larry Fitzgerald
ARIWARNER13Kurt Warner

A Hall of Fame receiver carries Arizona to the Super Bowl

Arizona Cardinals · Fitzgerald and the impossible run

Warner's revival and Fitzgerald's extraordinary 2008 postseason sent the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl and within one late drive of a championship.

Read the era story →

Career accomplishments

Pro Bowl selection · 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999First-team All-Pro · 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995NFL rushing touchdowns leader · 1992, 1994, 1995NFL rushing yards leader · 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995Super Bowl champion · 1992, 1993, 1995NFL MVP · 1993Super Bowl MVP · 1993NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year · 199015 NFL seasons226 career games21 career passing yards1 career passing touchdowns18,355 career rushing yards164 career rushing touchdowns515 career receptions3,224 career receiving yards11 career receiving touchdowns9 career solo tacklesDrafted by: DALDraft pick: 17Jersey: 2217 playoff appearances3 Super Bowl appearancesFirst appearance: Sep 9, 1990Most recent: Jan 2, 2005

Official awards via ESPN · Pro Bowl and All-Pro counts via NFLverse with selection years cross-checked against Wikipedia · league leads verified from indexed regular-season stats

Team history