Emmitt Smith: The $20K concussion settlement with NFL players is “nothing” | Forward Progress

0:00Hey, it's Bill from the Bill Simmons podcast. FIFA World Cup 26 fans, listen up. As the official beer sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 26, Michelob Ultra is giving away$1 million worth of FIFA World Cup 26 tickets and prizes. Enter now at MichelobUltra.com slash superior access slash FIFA World Cup 26. Michelob Ultra FIFA World Cup 26, superior access, no purchase necessary. Open U.S. Residence 21 Plus begins on December 1st, 2025, ends on July 31st, 2026, multiple entry periods. Visit www.micelobUltra.com slash superior access slash FIFA World Cup 26 for free entry, entry deadlines, prizes, and details.

0:33This summer, serve up the cookout classics, Heinz ketchup and Kraft singles. Every good burger needs a layer of perfectly melty cheese and thick, rich ketchup. We all know it's not a cookout without Heinz and Kraft. As we wrap up the week, we're bringing you one of the many positive messages from our past interviews. Each Thursday, we're sharing stories of our most watched athletes, celebrities, and leaders. We hope these problem-solving narratives inspire you to tackle obstacles in your own life. This week, Emmitt Smith.

1:11How concerned are you by the potential long-term side effects that having played for so long will have on you? I am concerned. I am very concerned, and here's why. No man in the National Football League has carried a football more than I have, which means I've been hit more times than anybody in the National Football League. No one has rushed for more yardage than I have. So that meant that I ran a long ways. But just the hits themselves, when I think about guys like Tony Dorst said and Rayfield Wright and many others right now that are dealing with those head trauma issues, yes, it is a concern.

1:51I'm only 45 right now. And when I think about these guys, these guys are in their mid to late 50s. And so 10 more years, talk to me. That's not that far away. It's not that far away, but 10 more years, talk to me. Let's see how I'm doing then. And that, to me, probably would say a lot. But what I'm doing right now, I'm on the preventative side. I'm taking the initiative to to establish a baseline and monitor myself probably every year or every two years if I have to All according to what the doctors request and so far I'm doing okay And you have gout which is your arthritis. How does that affect you?

2:33It only affects when I have a flare My uric acid levels were extremely high therefore whenever I had if I had a flare-up and it attacked some of my joints and it attacked my big toe and my right right point finger but as long as I keep my uric acid levels in in check I think I will be okay with gout I can manage that piece do any other effects currently no no I mean my neck is jacked up my head is always to the right or to the left with that I can't tell you which way when I'm looking in the mirror it's like like it's to the right maybe it's to the left but I don't know but at the end of the day it's from the plant yeah Well, it is from the hits to the head.

3:16Right. And my neck is jacked up. And so that part, outside of that, it doesn't really give me a whole lot of issues. But outside of that, I'm doing pretty good. I can't complain. The NFL settled with the retired players for$765 million. That's nothing. Money that's intended. That's nothing. What? That's nothing. Right, the money that's intended to cover the medical issue. It's only like$20 ,000 a player. $20 ,000 a player. That's nothing. I mean, no offense to somebody that thinks$20 ,000 is a lot, but$20 ,000, you just go to the hospital one time, it's gone. That's how quick$20 ,000 can go. Heck, I got$15 ,000 worth of repairment that I got to do to my house.

3:58$20 ,000 gone. Quick. Quick. And what the issues that we all are going to be dealing with, it's going to be worth, it's going to cost a lot more than$20 ,000. We are live from Fetty's house. Guests are gathering around the TV, even with a big storm outside. Are we worried about the feet? Nope, they have Xfinity Wi-Fi. Get reliable fiber-powered gig Wi-Fi with Peacock included to stream the beautiful game this summer. Xfinity, imagine that. Restrictions apply. New gig internet customers only. Actual speeds vary. Offer for Peacock Premium with ads currently at$10.99 a month value and limited to Xfinity internet members with newer upgraded gig speed or faster service.

4:30Activation required to access content. Peacock must be activated within the first 90 days. Management of existing subscriptions may be required to avoid multiple subscriptions and duplicate charges. Third-party built subscriptions continue until canceled. And we're live on match day as Doug reaches for a Buffalo wing. He's got it. Oh, and he's gone for a can of Pepsi, too. What a finish. There's no doubt about it. It just tastes better. Match days deserve Pepsi. That's it for now. But if you're hungry for more in-depth interviews, head over to YouTube.com slash Graham Bensinger. You can dive into our deep library, which includes more than 2 ,000 clips spanning 12-plus years.

5:07Thanks again for listening.

5:37Thank you.