Smith passes Payton, seizes all-time rushing record

IRVING, Texas--Emmitt Smith entered the NFL in 1990 labeled too small and too slow to be a star. Today he owns the league record for career rushing yards. With a fourth-quarter, 11-yard run versus the Seattle Seahawks--during his 193rd regular-season game--Smith passed Walter Payton's total of 16,726 yards. And with Payton's mother and brother in a Texas Stadium luxury box, Smith was sure to recognize what "Sweetness" meant to him and the league during an emotional postgame ceremony. "Today is a special day for me, my family and the Payton family," he said. "Because without Payton doing what he did in the National Football League and representing all he represented, he wouldn't have given a young man like myself a dream, something to shoot after and a person to look up to and try to emulate in every way possible." Soon after establishing the record, Smith capped the Cowboys' drive with a one-yard touchdown run tying the score 14-14. And although Dallas would lose on a Seahawks field goal with 25 seconds to play, the score extended his NFL record for rushing touchdowns to 150. The 33-year-old Smith also set season highs with 24 carries and 109 yards rushing. During his speech, Smith thanked the people who helped him along the way. He also shared many of his favorite moments from his playing career as well as talked about his belief in himself. "I was counted out many times in my 13 years here, and I'm probably still counted out," said Smith, who welled up when a banner was dropped from the rafters saluting him as the All Time Leading Rusher. "But I believe truly in my own ability. I believe my talent stacks up with the next man... I'm very confident I'm one of the best to ever play the game, but once you talk about the greatest, how can you define greatest?"