TEMPE, Ariz. -- Emmitt Smith has made an impact on his new Arizona teammates and coaches after just seven days of minicamp workouts.
"It's just amazing, man," wide receiver Bryan Gilmore said, "a Hall of Fame guy coming to work every day and handling his business like he should."
The Cardinals wrapped up a four-day veterans minicamp Friday after they had a three-day camp with rookies and vets last week. Smith, the NFL's career rushing leader, said he's more convinced than ever that he still has what it takes to succeed.
"It's not really about proving that I've still got it. In my mind, I know I still have it," he said. "I can see that every day I'm out here training, working out with these guys, competing with these guys in one-on-one drills and stuff like that. I know I can still play."
Smith and coach Dave McGinnis have quickly developed a mutual admiration.
"The minute we signed Emmitt he was out here mixing right in with his new teammates, out here running 15 110s in the hot sun, in there in the weight room at 6:30 in the morning," McGinnis said. "That's why he is what he is."
Smith has rushed for 17,162 yards and has three Super Bowl championship rings, but his teammates are impressed with the work ethic and competitiveness he still shows.
"When you have guys of that stature, they normally take days off, and stuff like that, and he hasn't done that," Gilmore said. "That's what's impressed me. He's all about winning, whether he's playing dominoes or whatever, he likes to win."
While many saw Smith's signing with the Cardinals as mostly a public relations move to bolster ticket sales, McGinnis insists the running back figures prominently in the team's plans. Smith will be the No. 1 running back and will get plenty of carries.
Though Smith wants to show the Dallas Cowboys they made a mistake by letting him go, he said any individual goals are secondary to making a winner out of the Cardinals. The team has one playoff victory in the last half-century.
"I feel a sense of being revived," he said. "I'm excited, very excited. I'm embracing a new situation versus looking at it as a negative. I look at it as a positive. With every challenge comes a unique opportunity. This team has a unique opportunity as a ball club if we stay healthy and play hard."
"It's just amazing, man," wide receiver Bryan Gilmore said, "a Hall of Fame guy coming to work every day and handling his business like he should."
The Cardinals wrapped up a four-day veterans minicamp Friday after they had a three-day camp with rookies and vets last week. Smith, the NFL's career rushing leader, said he's more convinced than ever that he still has what it takes to succeed.
"It's not really about proving that I've still got it. In my mind, I know I still have it," he said. "I can see that every day I'm out here training, working out with these guys, competing with these guys in one-on-one drills and stuff like that. I know I can still play."
Smith and coach Dave McGinnis have quickly developed a mutual admiration.
"The minute we signed Emmitt he was out here mixing right in with his new teammates, out here running 15 110s in the hot sun, in there in the weight room at 6:30 in the morning," McGinnis said. "That's why he is what he is."
Smith has rushed for 17,162 yards and has three Super Bowl championship rings, but his teammates are impressed with the work ethic and competitiveness he still shows.
"When you have guys of that stature, they normally take days off, and stuff like that, and he hasn't done that," Gilmore said. "That's what's impressed me. He's all about winning, whether he's playing dominoes or whatever, he likes to win."
While many saw Smith's signing with the Cardinals as mostly a public relations move to bolster ticket sales, McGinnis insists the running back figures prominently in the team's plans. Smith will be the No. 1 running back and will get plenty of carries.
Though Smith wants to show the Dallas Cowboys they made a mistake by letting him go, he said any individual goals are secondary to making a winner out of the Cardinals. The team has one playoff victory in the last half-century.
"I feel a sense of being revived," he said. "I'm excited, very excited. I'm embracing a new situation versus looking at it as a negative. I look at it as a positive. With every challenge comes a unique opportunity. This team has a unique opportunity as a ball club if we stay healthy and play hard."
