Post by HardRock14 on Feb 27, 2003 16:39:35 GMT -5
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
February 27, 2003, 2:00 p.m. (CST)
IRVING, Texas - Emmitt Smith's remarkable career with the Dallas Cowboys has come to a close.
Owner Jerry Jones announced releasing the 13-year veteran at a Thursday afternoon press conference, the move saving the club nearly $5 million on this year's salary cap. Smith and representative Werner Scott also were in attendance, arriving at Valley Ranch around noon to speak with Jones one last time.
"We know he's NFL royalty … he's Dallas Cowboys royalty," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said of Smith on Wednesday. "But this is about the future of the team. We're looking at the future of the team and there are a lot of things involved. It's not about Emmitt's ability to play. We know he can play."
As the NFL's all-time rushing leader, Smith was scheduled to count $9.8 million on the cap this season. Instead, the Cowboys will now take a one-time hit of $4.9 million to account for the remaining three years of Smith's prorated signing bonus.
Smith, who turns 34 in May, is coming off his worst rushing season since his rookie season in 1990, finishing with just 975 yards on one of the league's worst offenses and ending his streak of 12 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
The Cowboys, with new head coach Bill Parcells, appear ready to move on with a new running back. Smith did not attend Parcell's first team meeting at Valley Ranch on Wednesday. Instead, Smith, along with Jones, were in Austin, the State legislature honoring Smith for breaking Walter Payton's rushing record last October.
Although Smith said in January he has no intentions of playing as a backup, his answer to the same question provided a more open response Wednesday.
"I'll weigh all my options … that much I will do." Smith said. "But any discussions between me and Jerry need to go farther and will go farther and basically doesn't become public knowledge until we get it done."
Jones said he met with Smith last week about the running back's future with the team, but scheduled another meeting this week. It's been known Smith and his agent have been busy calling other teams, trying to get a feel for if there is any interest out there for a soon-to-be 34-year-old running back.
While Smith has admitted playing for another team would be an odd occurrence, he said on numerous occasions last season that he was not ready to retire, despite playing 13 seasons in the league. He owns three Super Bowl rings, earned MVP honors in Super Bowl XXVIII and NFL MVP honors in 1993 and just last season broke Walter Payton's all-time rushing mark, finishing the year with 17,162 career rushing yards.
That Smith was not present for Parcells' first team official team meeting seemed to be foreboding. The meeting lasted for nearly 50 minutes, and it appeared most players under contract or still with a desire to sign a contract were in attendance despite the nasty weather in the Dallas area.
Few players were willing to reveal what took place in the meeting. But running back Troy Hambrick, who has spoken openly of replacing Smith as the starter, didn't waste an opportunity to speak his mind.
"It was a nice meeting and I enjoyed it," said Hambrick, one of the only players to stop his vehicle before exiting the Valley Ranch complex. "I look forward to going to work. He has a nice game plan for us. Everything was positive. Let's get ready to play some ball."
Hambrick said Parcells did not mention Smith's absence from the meeting.
"No, not at all," said Hambrick, who appears ready to assume the role as the starter if given the opportunity. "The future looks bright for me. I accept any challenge, but it's going to be a team thing."
While Parcells has a reputation for getting after his players and getting his point across, Hambrick seemed surprised by more of a laid-back approach from his new coach.
"He was very gentle, but he packs a big bong," Hambrick said. "But it was one-way (conversation). He gave you the opportunity, but there were no questions. Enough said. The change is good. I'm happy with the selection."
Maybe not all of the players had the same view of the meeting as Hambrick.
"He was stern," third-year safety Tony Dixon said. "He told us what he liked and what he didn't like. As a player, we respect that. You want to know, so you don't have to guess. He just wants us prepared."
The Cowboys officially begin their off-season workout program March 24, but it's anticipated many of the players will resume working out on their own as early as next week, if they haven't already begun their new routine. Last season, the club had one of its highest player participation in the off-season workouts, with more than 60 players working out at least four times a week in the months of March and April. With Parcells' arrival, expect those numbers to stay the same or even increase this season.
But if there is a noticeable change, it will be the absence of Smith, who has been a 5:30 a.m. regular in the weight room for the latter half of his career.
The majority of Cowboys fans made it clear they wanted to see Smith return for another season, and even the state lawmakers began lobbying Jones on Wednesday for his return.
"Don't let him get away," Rep. Tony Goolsby, R-Dallas, told Jones. "I want you to realize this man is Cowboys blue."
Smith, smiling, then pounded House Speaker's Tom Craddick's gavel as legislators applauded.
Smith seemed to enjoy his visit and said he could relate to the lawmakers on the amount of pressure and responsibility that comes along with their positions.
"This is definitely an environment that I'm not really accustomed to, but I can relate to because you guys go through what I go through. You get criticized when you don't do things well and you get a lot of slaps on the back when you do things well."
With the news Thursday, it appears Smith has received his final slap on the back as a member of the Cowboys.
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
February 27, 2003, 2:00 p.m. (CST)
IRVING, Texas - Emmitt Smith's remarkable career with the Dallas Cowboys has come to a close.
Owner Jerry Jones announced releasing the 13-year veteran at a Thursday afternoon press conference, the move saving the club nearly $5 million on this year's salary cap. Smith and representative Werner Scott also were in attendance, arriving at Valley Ranch around noon to speak with Jones one last time.
"We know he's NFL royalty … he's Dallas Cowboys royalty," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said of Smith on Wednesday. "But this is about the future of the team. We're looking at the future of the team and there are a lot of things involved. It's not about Emmitt's ability to play. We know he can play."
As the NFL's all-time rushing leader, Smith was scheduled to count $9.8 million on the cap this season. Instead, the Cowboys will now take a one-time hit of $4.9 million to account for the remaining three years of Smith's prorated signing bonus.
Smith, who turns 34 in May, is coming off his worst rushing season since his rookie season in 1990, finishing with just 975 yards on one of the league's worst offenses and ending his streak of 12 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
The Cowboys, with new head coach Bill Parcells, appear ready to move on with a new running back. Smith did not attend Parcell's first team meeting at Valley Ranch on Wednesday. Instead, Smith, along with Jones, were in Austin, the State legislature honoring Smith for breaking Walter Payton's rushing record last October.
Although Smith said in January he has no intentions of playing as a backup, his answer to the same question provided a more open response Wednesday.
"I'll weigh all my options … that much I will do." Smith said. "But any discussions between me and Jerry need to go farther and will go farther and basically doesn't become public knowledge until we get it done."
Jones said he met with Smith last week about the running back's future with the team, but scheduled another meeting this week. It's been known Smith and his agent have been busy calling other teams, trying to get a feel for if there is any interest out there for a soon-to-be 34-year-old running back.
While Smith has admitted playing for another team would be an odd occurrence, he said on numerous occasions last season that he was not ready to retire, despite playing 13 seasons in the league. He owns three Super Bowl rings, earned MVP honors in Super Bowl XXVIII and NFL MVP honors in 1993 and just last season broke Walter Payton's all-time rushing mark, finishing the year with 17,162 career rushing yards.
That Smith was not present for Parcells' first team official team meeting seemed to be foreboding. The meeting lasted for nearly 50 minutes, and it appeared most players under contract or still with a desire to sign a contract were in attendance despite the nasty weather in the Dallas area.
Few players were willing to reveal what took place in the meeting. But running back Troy Hambrick, who has spoken openly of replacing Smith as the starter, didn't waste an opportunity to speak his mind.
"It was a nice meeting and I enjoyed it," said Hambrick, one of the only players to stop his vehicle before exiting the Valley Ranch complex. "I look forward to going to work. He has a nice game plan for us. Everything was positive. Let's get ready to play some ball."
Hambrick said Parcells did not mention Smith's absence from the meeting.
"No, not at all," said Hambrick, who appears ready to assume the role as the starter if given the opportunity. "The future looks bright for me. I accept any challenge, but it's going to be a team thing."
While Parcells has a reputation for getting after his players and getting his point across, Hambrick seemed surprised by more of a laid-back approach from his new coach.
"He was very gentle, but he packs a big bong," Hambrick said. "But it was one-way (conversation). He gave you the opportunity, but there were no questions. Enough said. The change is good. I'm happy with the selection."
Maybe not all of the players had the same view of the meeting as Hambrick.
"He was stern," third-year safety Tony Dixon said. "He told us what he liked and what he didn't like. As a player, we respect that. You want to know, so you don't have to guess. He just wants us prepared."
The Cowboys officially begin their off-season workout program March 24, but it's anticipated many of the players will resume working out on their own as early as next week, if they haven't already begun their new routine. Last season, the club had one of its highest player participation in the off-season workouts, with more than 60 players working out at least four times a week in the months of March and April. With Parcells' arrival, expect those numbers to stay the same or even increase this season.
But if there is a noticeable change, it will be the absence of Smith, who has been a 5:30 a.m. regular in the weight room for the latter half of his career.
The majority of Cowboys fans made it clear they wanted to see Smith return for another season, and even the state lawmakers began lobbying Jones on Wednesday for his return.
"Don't let him get away," Rep. Tony Goolsby, R-Dallas, told Jones. "I want you to realize this man is Cowboys blue."
Smith, smiling, then pounded House Speaker's Tom Craddick's gavel as legislators applauded.
Smith seemed to enjoy his visit and said he could relate to the lawmakers on the amount of pressure and responsibility that comes along with their positions.
"This is definitely an environment that I'm not really accustomed to, but I can relate to because you guys go through what I go through. You get criticized when you don't do things well and you get a lot of slaps on the back when you do things well."
With the news Thursday, it appears Smith has received his final slap on the back as a member of the Cowboys.
