Emmitt Smith

Born May 15, 1969, in Pensacola, FL, professional football player Emmitt Smith entered the ranks of the NFL after attending the University of Florida in the late '80s; the Dallas Cowboys recruited Smith amid the first round of their 1990 draft. Under the aegis of coach Jimmy Johnson, Smith proceeded to rack up an awe-inspiring series of field triumphs including three Super Bowl Championships, eight Pro Bowl games, and the honor league MVP in 1993. Smith eventually switched teams from the Cowboys to the Arizona Cardinals during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Smith transitioned rather fluidly from gridiron star to on-camera star when the producers of the reality series Dancing with the Stars tapped him to perform in the third season of that program (in 2006) opposite dance partner Cheryl Burke; the pair won the competition, making him the first sports star to garner the program's top prize. - Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide