The 45-year-old Smith is a decade removed from his final season after playing 13 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and two years with the Arizona Cardinals. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards, doesn’t regret staying on the field instead of thinking about his health and the impact concussions can cause.
The 45-year-old Smith is a decade removed from his final season after playing 13 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and two years with the Arizona Cardinals.
Smith was the speaker Thursday at the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health’s annual Family, Football & Fame luncheon in San Angelo, Texas.
“What we know today is about this much: We really don’t know how serious the problem is until 10 to 15 years (have passed),” Smith told the Standard-Times. “You can’t look at me today and say, ‘Well he’s doing fine.’ You cannot do that. That would be a big, big mistake.”
Smith gave an explanation why many players endure pain and injury playing in the NFL.
“You do it for the sake of the game. You do it for the sake of your teammates. You do it because it’s your team,” Smith said. “Should you be out there? The answer’s probably not. Would I do it again? Yes, I would. But that’s football. That’s the way I was raised. If you can’t play with pain, you can’t play the game.”
Smith said NFL teams and the league take players’ health more seriously today than they did when he was playing.
“Head trauma is one of those things where I don’t think anybody should be playing,” Smith said. “A lot of times I came to the sidelines and smelled some ammonia (to) clear the cobwebs. Today that doesn’t happen. I got knocked out in ’98 on Thanksgiving Day. Thank God it was Thanksgiving Day because I had 10 days to recover. Ten days. Now, they keep you out two weeks.”
