Man, Emmit Smith does everything right.
The NFL Hall of Famer, all-time rushing yard and TD record holder, and former Dancing With the Stars Champion has had success in anything he’s ever tackled professionally (OK, we’ll ignore his ESPN stint for the sake of our argument). But personally, the dude also seems to have it figured out.
After going pro in 1990, Emmitt Smith married Patricia Southall on April 22, 2000 (meaning he had at least 10 years to go out, have fun, and hook up with chicks like the best back in the league typically does). Smith recognized that his career had only a couple more years left, so he decided to stabilize things off the field with this one. The two have two children together; son Emmitt IV, born on Emmit the running back’s 33rd birthday in 2002, and daughter Skylar born in 2003. Each of them have a child from a previous relationship.
Speaking of that previous relationship, Patricia Southall may ring a bell to some people as she is also Martin Lawrence’s ex-wife. Southall is a former Miss Virginia (who finished as first runner up in the 1994 Miss USA pageant), met Martin when Martin was Martin in the mid 90’s. The couple was married for two years before divorcing in 1997.
Emmitt and Patricia Smith have been honored for their charitable work through the Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities by being named an honoree at the 2012 Trumpet Awards.
