Emmitt Smith would play with concussions again

Former Dallas Cowboys running back and HOFer Emmitt Smith says he would play with concussions again.

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In an era where concussion concerns are stronger than ever and the protocol is stricter than ever, it’s a little unexpected when a former player comes out and says that he played with concussions and would do it again. Especially when that player is one of the greatest running backs of all time in Emmitt Smith. According to a report by Pro Football Talk, Smith admitted that he played with pain and with concussions. He also said that if he had to do it again, he would. Absolutely.

“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 via the Standard Times.

Smith, who is now 45 and ten years past his last season, said that overall he has conflicting feelings about the concussion and health scrutiny. He said the conflict was primarily between protecting his own health and helping his team. Judging by his statement above, Smith more often picked the latter.

As far as Smith’s own current health, he says he’s doing fine at the moment, but he does occasionally wonder if he’ll be feeling fine years from now. He acknowledged that the NFL and the teams appear to be taking player health far more seriously now than they did when he played.

Smith did make sure to say that he doesn’t think players should be playing with head trauma, even though he did and would do again. He said he would often return to the sidelines to sniff ammonia in order to clear the cobwebs from a hard hit. He added that he got knocked out in the 1998 Thanksgiving game and he luckily had ten days to recover because of when the game was played. However, now players have to be kept out until they pass concussion tests.

Speaking at the San Angelo’s Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health Family, Football & Fame luncheon, Smith said the didn’t really know what else the league can do to protect players other than enforcing the rules it already has in place. Specifically he mentioned not seeing penalties being called for players lowering their heads to hit someone.

Make no mistake, Smith is definitely for protecting players, but he knows for himself and likely others, that decisions continue to be made to take one for the team and not for individual health.

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