Cowboys have had a 'slow' offseason and Emmitt Smith loves it
Dallas Cowboys legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith said that the Cowboys' offseason has been slow and quiet, "the way it needs to be."
As he does entering any NFL season, Emmitt Smith has big expectations for the Dallas Cowboys. The 2026 campaign excites Smith for obvious reasons, such as the second year under head coach Brian Schottenheimer, the addition of defensive coordinator Christian Parker and safety Caleb Downs, and the seemingly smooth handling of George Pickens and the franchise tag. But it's the lack of noise coming from "Big D" and owner Jerry Jones that has the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back believing things might be different after all for a team that hasn't reached the NFC Championship game since the 1995 season.
“I think the bigger sign is that it’s been a slow, quiet offseason – the way it needs to be,” Smith told USA TODAY Sports on May 12. “Now that we’ve gotten George Pickens out of the way, quietness is important, because it says the focus is where it needs to be – on the field. " That focus is important for both the fans and players, Smith said.
"It’s important for people to know, ‘We don’t need all that drama. ’ We’re too good of an organization to be dealing with all that drama. Don’t need it," Smith said.
"Sometimes you have to rise above the fray, and this is one of those times where we need to rise above the fray. Because the last 31 years have not produced the things that we want to see. There’s no reason to be having drama when you don’t have to.