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Remember When Emmitt Smith was a Cardinal?
If anyone was a Cowboys’ fan in the 1990s, then it must have been a really amazing time for you. The Cowboys literally WERE the team of the 1990s and brought the state of Texas three Super Bowl rings. Led by the Triplets, quarterback Troy Aikman led the passing attack, while receiver Michael Irvin was making plays all over the field. But the workhorse for the team was running back Emmitt Smith, who spent 13 seasons with the organization. The NFL’s all-time leading rusher rushed for over 1,000 yards in eleven of those years and landed in the NFL Hall of Fame by the time his career was over, but did you know that he spent his last two years in the league with the Arizona Cardinals?
This actually started back during the course of the 2002 NFL season. The dynasty of the Cowboys was well in the books and the organization was in the middle of a massive rebuild. Smith finished the season playing in all 16 games while rushing for 975 yards and 5 touchdowns. However, by the end of the year, the Cowboys were electing to go younger and figuring Smith was done, he was released in February 2003. But the Cardinals were hungry to at least get back into contention and so their answer was to sign the 34-year old and not only bring him to be a starter, but to continue to pay him well. Now a running back that is in his 30s is the beginning of a downward trajectory, and the last thing to…
