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Emmitt Smith is the latest NFL legend to visit Deion Sanders at Colorado. The league’s all-time leading rusher debunked a “claim to fame” Coach Prime has been riding dating back to his college playing days.
A play, which Sanders lists No. 1 on his career “hit reel,” actually went much differently than social media would have you believe. Smith told the real story to viewers this week.
Before Sanders and Smith were teammates on a Super Bowl winning Dallas Cowboys squad, they were archrivals in the Sunshine State. Smith attended the University of Florida while Prime played at Florida State (though he doesn’t claim the ‘Noles).
During one particular Sunshine Showdown, images of the defensive back appeared to show him obliterating the running back. The two players faced off in two rivalry games, both of which were won by FSU. The image is often used in pregame trash talk for the Seminoles’ side.
Emmitt Smith remembers the hit a bit differently, though.
On Monday, Sanders posted a video to his Instagram account detailing the Hall of Famer’s recollection of events.
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“Y’all have to Google this,” Sanders said. “He was playing for Florida, and I was playing for Florida State. I don’t know how it happened… but the picture looked like I ran through him… That’s No. 1 on my hit reel.”
Smith then told his side of the story.
“How it really happened was, I’m a running back, he’s the only one on the field that can come get me. I know I can’t outrun him. So, he gets up to me, I give him the stiff arm, I turn, and his head is right here [over my shoulder]… That’s his claim to fame.”
Smith is here to set the record straight!
Emmitt Smith is the latest NFL legend to visit Deion Sanders.
Smith stopped by Colorado this week, following a long line of former NFL stars to drop in on Deion Sanders. Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, and Terrell Owens each came by this offseason to take a look at the program in Coach Prime’s first year.
All left thoroughly impressed, predicting immediate success from the Buffaloes.
They’ve all been proven correct to this point.
Colorado is currently 3-0 on the year as they enter PAC 12 play, ripping off wins over TCU, Nebraska, and Colorado State. The road doesn’t get any easier with a trip to Oregon next week before a matchup against USC in Boulder.
They’ll have to play those contests without star Travis Hunter, who’s nursing a lacerated liver following a cheap shot from a CSU defender last Saturday.
Though Hunter will be out, the team will use a little extra motivation given by Ducks head coach Dan Lanning in their upcoming contest as they look to stay unbeaten.
The Buffs have passed the eye test thus far. We’ll see if they can pull off another upset as a three-score underdog in Eugene.