Cowboys have had a 'slow' offseason and Emmitt Smith loves it
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. You don’t have to create it." During his playing days, Smith didn’t want to give opposition any “bulletin-board material.” “That’s what drama brings," said Smith, who Spoke to USA TODAY Sports on behalf of his partnership with Bud Light, which includes a commercial he filmed with Peyton Manning to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “I have to believe that our Cowboys team is going to be better than they were last year,” he added. Nate Davis: We found 13 wins on the Cowboys' 2026 schedule – how about you? | Opinion The 2025 season, Schottenheimer's first at the helm following five seasons of Mike McCarthy (now with the Pittsburgh Steelers ) coaching the team, ended with a 7-9-1 record. The offense looked explosive with quarterback Dak Prescott and his top two receivers CeeDee Lamb and Pickens, but the defense was a disaster. No team gave up more points than Dallas, which also struggled situationally (worst opponent third-down conversion rate). Matt Eberflus was fired and replaced by Parker, who joins from the rival Philadelphia Eagles . Firing the defensive coordinator was the right move, said Smith, who called Parker a “young guy who can communicate and relate to these young players." "This defensive coordinator now has a chance to bring all of the pieces together," the three-time Super Bowl champion said. A year ago, Jones couldn't keep himself out of the headlines as the contract impasse with Micah Parsons extended into training camp. Dallas traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers a week before the regular season began for two first-round picks and nose tackle Kenny Clark. The calmness, especially compared to last year's antics, is a welcome development for Smith. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Emmitt Smith enjoying Cowboys, Jerry Jones' 'slow, quiet offseason'