Cowboys Legend Emmitt Smith Would Kneel for Anthem
DALLAS - Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith says he would kneel during the national anthem to protest against racial discrimination and police brutality if he was still playing. The Hall of Fame Running back, who took our top spot as Sports Illustrated's All-Time Greatest Players in Cowboys Franchise History, says he's dealt with racism throughout the course of his life.
“Yeah, I think I would do something, just as much as I ran out there and defended that star when T.O. did what he did,” Smith told Clarence Hill of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Why not? If I can defend the star, I definitely can defend the right for everybody to have equal justice.”
Smith defended the Cowboys' star when then-San Francisco 49ers wideout Terrell Owens celebrated a touchdown on the logo in the middle of the Cowboys' home field in 2000. Smith responded later in the game by rushing for a touchdown, running to the middle of the field and kneeling on the star.
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Smith continued...
"If I can defend the star, I can take a stand for social justice," Smith said. "I have been a victim of it. It's not like I am talking because something happened to George Floyd. Something happened to me more than one time, a couple of times it happened right here in Dallas. I'm talking from experience, not something I read in a book and saw on CNN."
On Sunday in Los Angeles, defensive tackle Dontari Poe was the only Dallas Cowboys player (and the first-ever Cowboys player) to kneel in protest of social injustice during the national anthem.
Eyes turned to team owner Jerry Jones, who showed his support of the gesture. “I thought (our players) gave it the sensitivity,” Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan. “They showed respect to Poe’s decision there... All in all, I thought our team was very real, very genuine in the way it approached it.”
