ATLANTA, Ga. — The Dallas Cowboys will enter Week 15 clinging to postseason hope. To make the playoffs, the Cowboys will very likely have to win out and then hope for help with either the Philadelphia Eagles losing multiple games or chaos in the NFC wild card race.
In an exclusive interview in T-Mobile’s Club Magenta before the 2025 SEC Championship Game, former Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith didn’t sound too optimistic of either of those scenarios occurring. However, Smith has still liked what he’s seen from first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
“I think he’s doing well. I think he’s doing a great job,” Smith said. “The way he started the season and what he had to work with, he’s done all he can do.
“It will be very interesting to see what next year looks like in terms of the draft picks that we have even though we made a few trades this year. But the key element is how we leverage those draft picks into bringing more talent onto the football field to suit the needs that we absolutely have.
“We can’t afford to waste many draft picks.”
Emmitt Smith Gives Cowboys ‘A Chance’ to Make NFL Postseason
With a 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 14, the Cowboys appear to fully have their backs against the wall with four games remaining in the 2025 regular season.
Smith said he thought the Lions matchup was going to be “tough” for the Cowboys because of Detroit’s two running backs — Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. But with the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders and New York Giants on the December and January slate, the schedule is going to be easier for the Cowboys down the stretch.
Dallas also faces the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16.
With his evaluation of the Cowboys in Schottenheimer’s first season, Smith appeared to already be looking ahead to next season. But the four-time All-Pro running back also said, “there was still a chance” of Dallas earning a playoff berth.
Even with 10 victories, which the Cowboys must win-out to reach, the road to the postseason for Dallas is narrow. Every team currently in an NFC wild card spot already has nine wins.
The NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles are 8-5 after losing to the Chargers on Monday Night Football.
Previously the Cowboys offensive coordinator, Schottenheimer has led Dallas to the No. 1 offensive ranking in terms of yards this season. The Cowboys are also No. 3 in points scored.
But the Cowboys are 29th in yards allowed and 31st in points yielded on defense. Dallas traded its best defensive player, Micah Parsons, before the season began.
Smith Attends SEC Championship, Greets Fans at T-Mobile’s Club Magenta
On Saturday, Smith was back in the city where he won Super Bowl MVP in January 1994. Partnering with T-Mobile, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher attended the SEC Championship Game between Georgia and Alabama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
In T-Mobile’s Club Magenta, which made his debut at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Smith and the wireless network provided football fans a unique conference championship game experience.
“This is all about the customer base experiencing T-Mobile right here at the SEC Championship Game,” Smith said hours before kickoff. “I’m going to get an opportunity to meet a lot of folks, shake hands, take pictures with them, give them a different level of experience of what it’s like to be at the SEC Championship Game.
“But not only that, also what it’s like to be a T-Mobile customer.”
HeavyLizzie Potocsky, T-Mobile Account Manager
Smith met with fans for handshakes and pictures in Club Magenta, a VIP fan hub for T-Mobile customers. Also over the weekend, T-Mobile hosted an SEC fanfare and pregame concert featuring Ludacris. The concert was free for all fans, with T-Mobile customers receiving the extra benefit of a front-row section.
Smith was disappointed his son, E.J., who plays for Texas A&M, wasn’t in the championship game. But the former running back still expressed how excited he was to celebrate SEC culture.
Before becoming a Cowboys legend, Smith was a star with the Florida Gators from 1987-89.
With Dallas, Smith finished with 17,162 rushing yards. He ended his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals.
Smith remains the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, carries and touches.
Emmitt Smith Speaks out on Cowboys’ Brian Schottenheimer