Emmitt Smith understands the severity and dangers associated with concussions, but he still says he would play through them if he had to do it all over again.
Smith, the NFL’s career leading rusher, was the guest speaker at a fundraiser for a “Family, Football & Fame” luncheon Thursday put on by the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health. Smith talked about concussions and head injuries and said you can’t determine the severity of them until several years after a player’s career has ended. He also said that he probably would play through concussions again if he replayed his career.
“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 via the San Angelo Standard-Times. “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 was famous for playing through injuries. Even if he had a separated shoulder or broken bone, he suited up and delivered on game day. During his 13-season career with the Dallas Cowboys, he only missed seven games, which is nothing short of astonishing. He just had the heart and toughness to play, even if he knew it did damage to his body.
Smith also said there are big differences between today’s rules and how things were when he played. He recalled being concussed during a Thanksgiving Day game and being lucky to have 10 days to recover. Now, if you have a concussion, you are forced to miss two weeks, which to him is a good sign of change by the league.
We’ve heard other NFL players say similar things. Maurice Jones-Drew said he would risk the concussions to help earn money for his family, but look at his career — he just retired this offseason. It might not be the smartest thing, but these players at least understand what kind of choices they’re making.
Helmet smack to Pro Football Talk
Photo: Emmitt Smith on Twitter
