Dallas Cowboys all-time Mount Rushmore

2. Emmitt Smith, RB (1990-2002)

When the Cowboys won three Super Bowls in five years, they had one of the best all-around teams. However, the offense was the show.

Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman was under center, and another Hall of Fame player, running back Emmitt Smith, was lined up behind him.

Smith was selected in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Taken 17th-overall, he immediately became an impact player for Jimmy Johnson. In his second year in the NFL, he won the rushing title with 1,563 yards. He punched in 12 touchdowns on the ground that year as well.

The list of accolades that Smith has is extensive. He won the rushing title four times, including that 1991 season. He won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1990, took home the MVP award in 1993, made eight Pro Bowls, was named an All-Pro four times, and won three Super Bowls.

Smith is considered one of the best running backs of all-time, and his numbers state that case rather clearly. His 18,355 career rushing yards are the most in NFL history, as are his 164 rushing scores. In the playoffs, he owns the number-one spot in both rushing yards (1,586) and touchdowns (19).

Within the Cowboys’ record books, Smith supplanted himself well. He is the franchise’s all-time rushing leader with 17,162 yards, and his 153 touchdowns are the most by non-quarterbacks.

During his 15-year career, Smith totaled more than 1,000+ rushing yards every year outside of four campaigns. In three of those four years, he ran for over 930 yards. He was one of the most significant offensive threats in league history, and he was a touchdown machine, gathering as many as 25 total scores in one season. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2010.