'Unbreakable Emmitt' And 'The Safest Record in Sports'
Emmitt Smith’s NFL rushing record remains safe after 17 years, even though there are a couple of backs holding out hope. ... faint hope.
“No one will ever break this record,” said LaDainian Tomlinson on NFL Network. “There’s not enough opportunities that running backs will get. We know the shelf life is a lot shorter for running backs. I just don’t see guys getting a lot of opportunities. That’s a lot of yards for a guy to amass and I just don’t think it’s going to happen.”
Smith broke Walter Payton’s previous mark on Oct. 27, 2002, then padded his number to 18,355 until retiring at age 35. His gap remains more than 3,000 yards, though after this season it may dip below 2,000.
That’s because Frank Gore (who will be 37 next week) signed to play another year with the Jets and Adrian Peterson (35) will again be a featured back for the Redskins.
Gore, third on the list and trailing Emmitt by 3,008 yards, is unlikely to catch him. On his fourth team in four years, his carries and yards have declined for four straight years (only 599 yards in Buffalo last season) and in 2020 he’ll merely get Le’Veon Bell’s sloppy seconds.
At his pace and role, Gore would have to play well into his 40s to seriously threaten Smith. Peterson’s chances are more realistic, as he’s started 31 games and ran for almost 2,000 yards the last two seasons in Washington. Still, he trails Emmitt by 4,139 yards and would have to put together at least four more productive seasons – by which time he’ll be 39 – to flirt with the record.
If those two don’t catch Smith, his record will be safe for … who knows? Of the Top 75 all-time leading NFL rushers, only five – Peterson, Gore, Mark Ingram (30), Marshawn Lynch (34) and LeSean McCoy (32) – are active and none younger than 30.
Football is a never-say-never business. But Tomlinson - and the numbers - do scream "never'' when it comes to out-Emmitting Emmitt.
