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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

NFL 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 · 19904× first-team All-Pro8× Pro Bowl selection15 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