Cowboys legend outraged team's public perception isn't the same

Emmitt Smith. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys legend outraged team's public perception isn't what it used to be

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 2/9/24

The Dallas Cowboys like to think of themselves as the NFL’s gold standard — a benchmark franchise with five Super Bowl championships that the other 31 teams in the NFL all aspire to be.

The only problem with that is Dallas’ last Super Bowl win was 28 years ago, and the team has won just five playoff games and fired six head coaches since.

This is why franchise legend Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher (18,355 yards), is so heated when discussing the current state of the franchise under head coach Mike McCarthy, who Smith believes is besmirching the team's name.

“The way we exited the playoffs this year was not a good look, put it that way, and was somewhat embarrassing,” Smith said, via ESPN. “It lends you to believe that either we're not trained or coached properly in terms of game-type situations. ... It's not a good look.”

Emmitt Smith was HOT about the Cowboys today. Here’s a snippet. pic.twitter.com/MO8cXKIxzd
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 9, 2024

The Cowboys missed the playoffs in McCarthy’s first season, but they’ve had three postseason appearances with matching 12-5 regular-season records in the three years since.

Despite that 36-15 record, the Cowboys haven’t made it past the NFC divisional round, losing twice to the San Francisco 49ers and getting blown out at home by the Green Bay Packers this season.

“To be honest, I am a little surprised all because the way things have transpired over the last few years -- removing Kellen [Moore] and taking over the controls of the offense and so forth," Smith said. “I am a little surprised. The way our team exited out of the playoffs, I am real surprised. Because to me, I look to my leaders and leaders look to players to be ready and be prepared for the situations in all situations. And unfortunately for us, I don't know if we were as prepared as we needed to be.”

While Smith’s frustration is all-encompassing, McCarthy has drawn the brunt of his ire as the guy who calls the shots.

The 60-year-old coach was already on the hot seat once Dallas’ season ended, but now that a franchise icon has essentially called him out, it’s not unreasonable to say that McCarthy’s seat is likely now scorching.

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