Emmitt Smith worried about CTE, his brain health and Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa

BOCA RATON — Former Dallas Cowboys superstar running back Emmitt Smith said he was diagnosed with two concussions during his career but believes he may have sustained more of them.

Smith, who won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys in the early 1990s after starring at the University of Florida, is worried about his future brain health just as he’s fearful for concussion-plagued Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Before giving a motivational lecture at the Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca Raton fundraising event on Wednesday morning, Smith offered thoughts on the Dolphins’ scary quarterback situation with their 24-year-old southpaw’s promising 2022 season wrecked by multiple concussions.

“I’ll tell you right now I don’t know a football player who hasn’t had at least one (concussion)," Smith said. “We all get dinged. I’ve had two that I know of, that I can recall when they were. I also can tell you there’s a number of times I got hit and had to shake my head a couple of times to get the cobwebs out and get back focused. It’s part of the game."

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Tua missed multiple games last season after suffering two separate concussions, and he wasn’t cleared for their first-round playoff loss to Buffalo.

“But comparing to Tua’s situation, I never had multiple concussions in one year like that," Smith added. “Never had a situation occur where I staggered off the field like that."

Asked whether he’s worried about Tua’s future, the 53-year-old Pensacola native said he was worried about his future.

“When you see all the CTE stuff that’s come out, I‘d be naïve to think if I keep living, I’ll have a normal life going forward," he said. "That’s why I respect the Jim Browns of the world, Tony Dorsetts and the guys that came before me. They’re a good reflection where I’m headed as I age. To escape the game completely free, I’d be a little naïve. So far, I’m good."

Never one to shy away from a topic, Smith took on the Cowboys’ second-round playoff demise vs. the 49ers with his trademark candor, partially blaming the Dallas coaching staff. Smith lives in Dallas and follows them closely.

Smith analyzes the 2022 Dallas Cowboys

Smith called it a “very good season" to win a playoff game but said “to lose in the playoffs in such a disappointing way is another thing." Quarterback Dak Prescott took much of the blame for his interceptions, but Smith saw something more profound. The Cowboys haven’t won the Super Bowl since Smith’s 1995 team won the ’96 NFL championship game.

“We just have to get what it takes and do what it took for us to get through," Smith said. “When it came down to playoff time, we had to elevate our game and mindset. That’s not always on the players. Coaches have to elevate themselves, too. Everyone has to pay attention to details. You have to develop your core group of plays you want to run and expand upon on those things. I don’t think they expanded well enough. That’s not on the players. That’s on the coaches. But players have to take care of the football and we didn’t do that."

Former All-Pro Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott looked to be on his last legs after rushing for a career-low 876 yards on 3.8 yards per carry. Rumors are an end of an era is coming and Elliott may be waived at age 27. Smith hopes he’s not.

“In the running back position, he has aged," Smith said. “But to me, Elliott had a very good season. He played injured all season long with a brace on his knee. And he’d get what some people call garbage plays. He gets the grunt plays that’s very tough to get yardage-wise. He didn’t have the opportunity to have big, explosive plays.

" I try to get to what’s happening on the field. I don’t get into talk-radio repeat talk. As a player, I’m looking at what’s happening in the structure, system and play-calling versus the stats — 3.8 (yards) per carry and Tony Pollard had 4.5, so he should start.

“Would I want him back? No doubt. I would love to see him back, Considering Tony has a leg injury you don’t know, unfortunately, how he’ll come back."

Emmitt riffs on the Gators, his legacy ... Tom Brady

During the 20-minute presser, Smith touched on other subjects before a speech in front of 650 patrons.

On players from today vs. yesteryear: “I’m used to coaches yelling at me. These days, you yell at kids, they may call their momma."

On Florida Gators' recent lack of success: “We have to be patient and give the new coach a chance for three, four recruiting classes. People want instantaneous winning. Don’t forget we are in the SEC. We have the toughest schedule in all of America. The SEC is the toughest conference, period. You can’t find another conference with the Georgias, Alabamas, LSUs, Auburns and on. Now you got Texas and Oklahoma coming in. C’mon. That’s the NFL schedule."

On whether he smiles knowing Dallas hasn’t won the Super Bowl since his ’90s teams: “All the time. Here’s the reason why. It’s factual. I would tell any player hearing comparisons to the 1995, 1993, 1992 Super Bowl championship team, if you want to change the narrative, go win. Getting to the NFC Championship Game is phenomenal. But to be in The Bowl, that’s the ultimate. If you want to change the narrative of the last 27 years, I’m giving you insight on how we approached it. It’s not criticism. It’s just insight on what it took for us. We took it to a whole 'nother level. Our football team was so competitive. Today’s football team doesn’t practice the way we used to practice. The mindset is completely different. Teams that give it mentally as well as physically, they understand. That’s what my Cowboys have to do — give it mentally, physically and emotionally."

On what his legacy is to the TikTok generation: “Anyone who is TikToking cares nothing about what I’ve done. Even my 12-year-old doesn’t care what I’ve done.'

On the theme of his motivational speeches: “Life is about evolving. It’s not about staying the same. I learned that from my high school coach Dwight Thomas. Never become satisfied with anything because the growing stops. It’s all about evolution. You don’t want to stay the same because you’ll regress. You have to be open to change."

On Tom Brady’s arrival in Tampa Bay: “I promise you when he walked into Tampa, that whole organization just had this feeling, yes, we’re going to the Super Bowl. He didn’t have to say nothing. They all focused more on work habits and watched how he approached the game."

On his reported shaky relationship with his hometown Pensacola, where he attended his father’s funeral last weekend: “One thing I haven’t done to my hometown is I haven’t embarrassed it. I have also given contributions to my hometown and am still giving contributions in trying to develop real estate there for a different type of legacy. So I’ve given. I can’t give any more than my blood next."

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Emmitt Smith talks about concussions, Tua Tagovailoa, Gators, Cowboys