Why Emmitt Smith is the Greatest Running Back of All Time
Macaulay C. Omereonye
Waukesha County Technical College
English Composition 1
Prof. Daniel Skoglund
May 2, 2023
Emmitt Smith is the greatest running back of all time; This should not be a bold take or a bold statement. He truly is the best of the best. When looking at certain criteria to be the best running back, coaches look at some qualities, such as statistics, impact on the team, and durability. Emmitt Smith fits in all of those categories. However, there are arguments that debuff the statement that Emmitt Smith is not the greatest running back of all time. As a matter of fact, some would argue that he is not even in the top 10 category, which will be refuted. This essay will discuss
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His impact on the team he played for 13 seasons for, the Dallas Cowboys, is elaborated by author Brendan Flynn in The NFL Encyclopedia when he says, “Emmitt Smith helped form the Cowboys’ explosive offensive attack during the 1990s” (Flynn, 2021, p. 55). This means that Emmitt Smith was playing a huge role in the offensive success of the Dallas Cowboys during the 1990s. Another example of his impact on the team is explained by ESPN Staff Writer Tim McMahon, “[Jerry] Jones uses the words "durable" and "dependable" to describe Emmitt, who epitomized those terms with his tremendous performance in a Jan. 2, 1994 overtime win against the New York Giants. He played the entire second half with a separated shoulder, finishing with 168 rushing yards to clinch his second consecutive NFL rushing title and the NFC East championship” (MacMahon, August 8, 2010, para. 6). The Dallas Cowboys needed Emmitt Smith to deliver in this game. It was a much needed victory for the team. Thanks to Smith’s outstanding impact in the run game, they not only advanced to the next round, Smith was the league’s leading rusher for that