NFL Player News: Emmitt Smith Says 'Sports Is My Gift, But My Kids Are My Legacy'

NFL Legend and proud dad, Emmitt Smith, knows how to prepare his kids for a new school year. And according to a press release from Quaker®, he's doing more than just that. Smith will team up with Quaker® and Fuel Up to Play 60 to help prepare families across the country for the upcoming season: a new school year. 

Getting a lot of learnings from his days in the football season, and also from personal experience as a father prepping up his kids for school, Smith shares what he knows so that he could help families too.

"With five kids, four of them still at home, I know that getting them off to a great start at back-to-school time sets the tone for the entire year," said Smith. "Similar to when I was preparing for training camp each fall and getting my body and mind ready for the season, I try to make sure my kids go into each new school year ready to excel."

In an interview with Yahoo Parenting, Smith shares a lot of insight to all dads and families.

Talking about juggling the roles of being a family man and a career person, Smith says that he doesn't do everything by himself.

"My wife handles a lot of the scheduling," he says. "That's the wonderful thing about it."

About making his five children feel special, he admits that that is a "task."

"As a father, I try to be home with them in the morning and for dinner, and to have one-on-one time to either put one to bed, or help with homework... we want every minute we've got."

"They don't stay little for long," he emphasizes.

Regarding the shift from summer to a new school year, he's just cool with it.

"We take what I would classify as a sports approach.  We have our 'pre-season' the week before we start back at school," he says. 

That means that they get the kids to be active early, so that they're ready for school.

He also shared that being a parent, he has to let go of all the fears associated with parenting and let the child decide for him/herself.

"A child has to choose their path, and they have to choose it without regrets," he says. "My job is to monitor injuries and say when enough is enough. I have my child's best interest at heart."

It seems that with five kids and a lot of football experience to go with it, the NFL legend does have a lot to share.

"It's important for me to be in my kids' lives," he says. "Sports is my gift, but my kids are my legacy."