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Tony Dorsett vs. Emmitt Smith: Tale of the Tape
Tony Dorsett vs. Emmitt Smith: Tale of the Tape
01:16 AM CDT on Thursday, August 5, 2010
By BILL NICHOLS / The Dallas Morning News
brnichols@dallasnews.com
Tony Dorsett's path to the Hall of Fame was paved with speed. He was a big play waiting to happen, an electrifying back whose career-defining moment went 99 yards.
Emmitt Smith piled up yards with tough running, and between the two, they gained more yards than any other duo for one franchise, doing so by more than 6,000. But as a fan, the biggest thrill Dorsett got watching Emmitt Smith had nothing to do with records. It was seeing Smith turn nothing into something.
"I told him years ago, 'You made me jump out of my seat with that move,' " Dorsett recalled. "I'm not even sure of the play. It was like a 2-yard run. But it was just the way he made the guy miss his tackle. He was blessed with that ability."
In Dorsett and Smith, the Cowboys were blessed with the two greatest running backs to play for the same franchise in NFL history.
They combined for 29,198 yards as Cowboys. That mark may never be broken. The next closest pair of backs from one franchise is 6,306 yards back. Walter Payton and Neal Anderson gained 22,892 yards for the Chicago Bears.
"It's a little unusual. You've got two guys that are top-10 rushers and Hall of Famers," Dorsett said. "From that perspective it's special. But regardless, Emmitt's a great runner. He played with a lot of pain. He willed himself for a lot of yards."
Dorsett and Smith ran to the Hall using different styles. Dorsett was more of a breakaway threat. He used his quickness for dazzling moves around defenders.
In 11 years with the Cowboys, Dorsett rushed for 12,036 yards. He closed his career with a 703-yard season with Denver in 1988.
Smith was more of a physical inside runner. He wore down defenses, moving the chains on the "Lead Draw". He used his strong legs to bang through would-be tacklers or elude them.
Drafted by the Cowboys three years after Dorsett departed, Smith rushed for 17,162 yards in 13 seasons in Dallas. He gained 1,193 yards in his final two seasons with Arizona.
"Emmitt was a stronger guy, and he did all the right things to keep himself healthy," Dorsett said. "I was probably a little more elusive than him."
In addition to their consistency, Dorsett and Smith shared a knack for scoring. They combined for 225 rushing touchdowns for the Cowboys, most of any franchise duo in league history.
"There are some outstanding players who come in and do some great things, but they don't do it game after game, year after year," Dorsett said. "The guys that do are the ones that end up in the Hall of Fame."
Top franchise running back duos
Most combined rushing yards for two players from one franchise:
Running back combination Team Yards
Tony Dorsett Emmitt Smith Dallas 29,198
Walter Payton Neal Anderson Chicago 22,892
Franco Harris Jerome Bettis Pittsburgh 22,521
O.J. Simpson Thurman Thomas Buffalo 22,121
Billy Sims Barry Sanders Detroit 20,375
Tale of the tape
Dorsett Category Smith
5-11 Height 5-9
192 Weight 210
Pittsburgh College Florida
1977-88 NFL career 1990-04
2nd overall Drafted 17th overall
12,739 Rush yds 18,355
2,936 Carries 4,409
4.3 Yds/carry 4.2
73.6 Yds/game 81.2
77 Rush TDs 164
Tony Dorsett vs. Emmitt Smith: Tale of the Tape
01:16 AM CDT on Thursday, August 5, 2010
By BILL NICHOLS / The Dallas Morning News
brnichols@dallasnews.com
Tony Dorsett's path to the Hall of Fame was paved with speed. He was a big play waiting to happen, an electrifying back whose career-defining moment went 99 yards.
Emmitt Smith piled up yards with tough running, and between the two, they gained more yards than any other duo for one franchise, doing so by more than 6,000. But as a fan, the biggest thrill Dorsett got watching Emmitt Smith had nothing to do with records. It was seeing Smith turn nothing into something.
"I told him years ago, 'You made me jump out of my seat with that move,' " Dorsett recalled. "I'm not even sure of the play. It was like a 2-yard run. But it was just the way he made the guy miss his tackle. He was blessed with that ability."
In Dorsett and Smith, the Cowboys were blessed with the two greatest running backs to play for the same franchise in NFL history.
They combined for 29,198 yards as Cowboys. That mark may never be broken. The next closest pair of backs from one franchise is 6,306 yards back. Walter Payton and Neal Anderson gained 22,892 yards for the Chicago Bears.
"It's a little unusual. You've got two guys that are top-10 rushers and Hall of Famers," Dorsett said. "From that perspective it's special. But regardless, Emmitt's a great runner. He played with a lot of pain. He willed himself for a lot of yards."
Dorsett and Smith ran to the Hall using different styles. Dorsett was more of a breakaway threat. He used his quickness for dazzling moves around defenders.
In 11 years with the Cowboys, Dorsett rushed for 12,036 yards. He closed his career with a 703-yard season with Denver in 1988.
Smith was more of a physical inside runner. He wore down defenses, moving the chains on the "Lead Draw". He used his strong legs to bang through would-be tacklers or elude them.
Drafted by the Cowboys three years after Dorsett departed, Smith rushed for 17,162 yards in 13 seasons in Dallas. He gained 1,193 yards in his final two seasons with Arizona.
"Emmitt was a stronger guy, and he did all the right things to keep himself healthy," Dorsett said. "I was probably a little more elusive than him."
In addition to their consistency, Dorsett and Smith shared a knack for scoring. They combined for 225 rushing touchdowns for the Cowboys, most of any franchise duo in league history.
"There are some outstanding players who come in and do some great things, but they don't do it game after game, year after year," Dorsett said. "The guys that do are the ones that end up in the Hall of Fame."
Top franchise running back duos
Most combined rushing yards for two players from one franchise:
Running back combination Team Yards
Tony Dorsett Emmitt Smith Dallas 29,198
Walter Payton Neal Anderson Chicago 22,892
Franco Harris Jerome Bettis Pittsburgh 22,521
O.J. Simpson Thurman Thomas Buffalo 22,121
Billy Sims Barry Sanders Detroit 20,375
Tale of the tape
Dorsett Category Smith
5-11 Height 5-9
192 Weight 210
Pittsburgh College Florida
1977-88 NFL career 1990-04
2nd overall Drafted 17th overall
12,739 Rush yds 18,355
2,936 Carries 4,409
4.3 Yds/carry 4.2
73.6 Yds/game 81.2
77 Rush TDs 164
