The legacy of the NFL’s all-time leading rusher began in the sweltering heat of Gainesville, Florida, in the late summer of 1987. The peerless Emmitt Smith began his Florida Gators career that year, bursting out of the gate to rush for 1,341 yards and 13 touchdowns in only 11 games. In Smith’s first game, the freshman phenom broke Red Bethea’s 57-year old Florida Gators single-game rushing record, scampering to the tune of 224 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-14 road upset of the number 11 Alabama Crimson Tide. Smith, a native of Pensacola, finished ninth in the Heisman voting in 1987, a fantastic result for the SEC and National Freshman Player of the Year.

While Smith’s sophomore season was affected by injury, the future Pro Football Hall of Famer compiled a fantastic junior season in 1989. Smith rushed for 1,599 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding 207 receiving yards and a touchdown on a 9.9 yards per reception average. Smith, a unanimous All-American, again finished in the top ten of Heisman voting, leading to the former Escambia High School star to declare for the 1990 NFL Draft, where he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 17th pick of the first round. Smith rewrote the NFL record book over the following 15 seasons, rushing for a league-record 18,355 yards and winning three Super Bowl titles with the dominant Cowboys of the 1990’s. Smith was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Offered in this lot is an orange Florida Gators helmet worn by Smith during the late 1980’s. This well-used helmet has a white facemask and a blue-white-blue stripe bisecting the crown. A “Gators” script decal is adhered to both sides of the helmet. A facemask bumper with “Gators” printed in blue is affixed on the forehead of the helmet. A warning sticker is affixed to the back of the helmet, while the “Pro Air” helmet specifications are printed on the opposite side of the helmet’s rear. A blue label printed with “E. Smith” is present inside this helmet. Please note that the chinstrap is no longer attached to this helmet, and the upper chinstrap button on the right side of the helmet is loose. A wonderful opportunity to own a rare piece of memorabilia from the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. There is no third party service for helmets at this time. This helmet is being sold as-is and returns will not be permitted, so please make sure you are comfortable with the helmet prior to bidding.

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