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Show Notes
I was honored to speak with pro football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith about his work in raising awareness of the dangers of opioid use. Emmitt Smith teamed up with Emergent BioSolutions to break down the stigma around opioid use and accidental overdose, which continues to fuel a national epidemic impacting people from all walks of life.
During Emmitt's decorated 15-year professional career, Smith faced multiple injuries and often chose to play through the pain, because he knew the risks associated with opioids as he witnessed promising athletes develop a dependency, lost teammates to accidental overdose and watched loved ones struggle.
The Ready to Rescue campaign creates open dialogue about opioid risks and educate the public on how to be prepared to help save a life in an opioid overdose emergency. Research shows that 44% of opioid-related deaths in states evaluated had a bystander present, but naloxone overdose reversal medications were rarely administered.
Parents should visit their local pharmacy to stock up on NARCAN Nasal Spray, which is available over the counter and can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose or poisoning in minutes.
I encourage you to share this interview with your teenagers and family members so that they are aware of how deadly opioids can be. To listen to my interviews with grieving parents who have lost a child to fentanyl poisoning, please visit this link.
About Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith is a professional football icon and one of the greatest to ever play the game. In his 15 seasons as a running back in the National Football League, Smith amassed many records that still stand today, including most career rushing yards and most career rushing touchdowns. Smith’s impressive resume includes three Super Bowl championship rings, his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, and, most recently in 2019, his selection to the NFL 100 All-Time Team (a prestigious list honoring the best players of the NFL's first 100 years).
As a first-round pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, Smith was the cornerstone of the Dallas Cowboys offense for 13 seasons. The eight-time Pro Bowler was the first player in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in 11 consecutive seasons and on October 27, 2002 he surpassed Walter Payton as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.
After his playing days, Smith served as a football analyst and then took his television career a step further when he won the third season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, during which he was dubbed “the king of effortless cool.” He also added author to his list of accomplishments, publishing Game On, which outlines the principles that helped him succeed both on and off the field.
Smith then transitioned to the role of entrepreneur and runs several companies spanning real estate, construction, and technology. He is active in charitable outreach in the Dallas area and on a national level, providing educational opportunities and unique experiences for underserved youth. In addition, Smith is in-demand as a motivational speaker.
In August of 2021, it was announced that Smith has become a co-owner of a NASCAR team partnering with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports for the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. A major theme of Smith and Iwuji’s partnership will center on STEM education for lower income communities and diversity and inclusion initiatives within the sport of NASCAR.
Smith resides in Dallas and, among his athletic accomplishments and business endeavors, is foremost a father of five children.