Emmitt Smith's Son, RB E.J. Smith, Signs With Kansas City Chiefs
In an NFL career spanning 15 years across two teams, running back Emmitt Smith became the league's all-time leading rusher and won plenty of hardware to cement himself as an all-time great. Now, over 20 years after retiring, his son will continue running with his family name.
Following the 2026 NFL Draft, Texas A&M running back E.J. Smith - Emmitt Smith's son - signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. Smith played six years of college football, four at Stanford and two at Texas A&M.
In his six seasons, Smith had 207 carries for 969 yards and nine touchdowns plus 71 receptions for 470 yards and one touchdown.
It's a bit of a stark contrast to his father, who was a legend at the University of Florida in the late-80s.
The Next Smith
Emmitt Smith played for the Gators from 1987 to 1989, where he became one of the greatest running backs in Florida Gators history. Despite playing only three seasons, Smith rushed for 3,928 yards and 36 touchdowns, setting multiple school records at the time. He was a first-team All-SEC selection and a consensus All-American in 1989 before leaving early for the NFL Draft. His explosive running style, vision, and toughness made him one of the top prospects in the nation.
Smith was selected in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and went on to build a Hall of Fame career. He became the NFL's all-time leading rusher with 18,355 rushing yards and scored 164 rushing touchdowns, winning three Super Bowl titles with Dallas. Smith earned the 1993 NFL MVP award, was selected to eight Pro Bowls, and helped lead the Cowboys dynasty of the 1990s. He finished his career with the Arizona Cardinals and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
Expectations for E.J. Smith probably aren't Hall of Fame, or even an All-Pro team. But if he can carve a nice little niche for himself, it will be a lot better than plenty of other players throughout history.
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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 10:45 PM.