DCW Opening Ceremonies, Featuring Emmitt Smith

What It's About

Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, Emmitt Smith, a professional football icon and one of the greatest to ever play the game, is the headliner for the Design & Construction Week® Opening Ceremonies. As an entrepreneur, Smith runs several companies spanning real estate, construction and technology. He brings his experience and knowledge as a motivational speaker to the stage to kick off the Builders’ Show.

In his 15 seasons as a running back in the National Football League, Smith’s impressive resume includes three Super Bowl championship rings, his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, his 2019 selection to the NFL 100 All-Time Team (a prestigious list honoring the best players of the NFL's first 100 years), an eight-time Pro Bowler, first player in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in 11 consecutive seasons and to surpass Walter Payton as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.

After his playing days, Smith served as a football analyst, won the third season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and authored Game On, outlining the principles that helped him succeed both on and off the field. Smith is an entrepreneur active in charitable outreach in the Dallas area and on a national level and NASCAR team co-owner, providing education opportunities and unique experiences for underserved youth, STEM education for lower-income communities and diversity and inclusion initiatives within the sport of NASCAR.