#22: Emmitt Smith, Running Back
The NFL’s all-time leading rusher easily finds himself as the best player to sport the number 22. Emmitt Smith held the rushing title four times while playing for the Cowboys and was also a huge part of the Cowboys winning three Super Bowls in the 90’s. Smith ranks first in NFL history for touchdowns by a running back with 164 and recorded 11 straight 1,000 yard rushing seasons. If that wasn’t enough, his 18,355 yards he totaled during his career were enough to make him the NFL’s all-time rushing leader, a record that still stands today.
Smith is the only running back ever to win the rushing crown, win MVP, win the Super Bowl, and take home Super Bowl MVP honors all in the same season. Emmitt played with the Dallas Cowboys for 13 seasons before closing out the final two years of his career with the Arizona Cardinals.
“It never ends. If you play the game to win one Super Bowl or two Super Bowls and then be satisfied, you are playing for the wrong reason. No matter how much you win, you want to win more.”- Emmitt Smith via profootballhof.com
One of the best running backs in NFL history saw his efforts honored in 2010 when he was accepted into the Hall of Fame. Smith is currently one of two non-kickers to record over 1,000 points in his career. Jerry Rice was the other. Emmitt Smith’s career 175 touchdowns ranks second all-time in career touchdowns to only Rice. In case you don’t know him, he was pretty good as well.
Honorable Mention: Paul Krause
