For years, Emmitt Smith’s pride was synonymous with the Dallas Cowboys‘ star, but a recent family milestone has shifted the spotlight from the gridiron to the graduation stage. After retirement, Smith has always attended Cowboys games along with his family to show his support. The team’s wins and celebrations have been like his own. But now, his own son, E.J. Smith, gave him a reason to celebrate with a major milestone moment in his life. 

Through his latest Instagram Story, Emmitt Smith marked a proud family milestone on Instagram. In the story, Smith revealed that his son just graduated with a master’s degree in real estate from Texas A&M. 

“Congratulations son on receiving your Masters degree,” Emmitt Smith wrote in the caption of his Instagram Story. “Keep creating your own path. We are so proud of you.” 

Emmitt Smith also tagged E.J. directly, making sure the message hit home. The photo shared with the story further revealed that it was a proud dad moment for the Cowboys legend. In the photo, E.J. stood front and center, smiling widely. He wore a maroon Texas A&M stole that read “Student Athlete.” Emmitt posed proudly beside him. 

Even Patricia Southall, Emmitt’s ex-wife and E.J.’s mother, joined the family in the photo. The family stood close, and the moment felt genuine and full of love. Isn’t it refreshing to see divorced parents show up together like that?

Emmitt Smith and Patricia were married for nearly 20 years before announcing their divorce in 2020. At the time, they made it clear that co-parenting would always come first. Since then, they’ve stayed respectful, supportive, and united when it comes to their kids. Together, they share five children – E.J., Elijah, Jasmin, Rheagan, and Skylar. The couple’s commitment to their family showed once again as they celebrated E.J.’s latest milestone.

Is Emmitt Smith’s son following in his father’s footsteps through his own career?

After retiring from football, Emmitt Smith found major success in real estate. He first partnered with former Cowboys legend Roger Staubach to form Smith/Cypress Partners LP. Emmitt later launched ESmith Properties LLC to lead commercial developments and oversee renovation projects. And now, E.J. Smith appears ready to carve out a similar path to his father in more ways than one.

Back in September this year, during an interview with Texas Aggies United, E.J. Smith shared his post-graduation goals. He mentioned that he wants to focus on mergers, acquisitions, real estate investing, and even AI integration. That’s a modern twist on his dad’s legacy, wouldn’t you say?

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But football also runs deep in the family. Emmitt Smith played as a running back for the Florida Gators from 1987 to 1989. And E.J. now also plays the running back position for Texas A&M. After suiting up for Stanford from 2020 to 2023, E.J. entered the transfer portal and landed with the Aggies as a graduate student. And when he got his chance to play, he delivered.

Just last month, Emmitt Smith’s son scored the go-ahead touchdown in Texas A&M’s massive comeback win over South Carolina. During this 2025 season, he has also rushed for 191 yards and four touchdowns on 40 carries. Add a master’s degree in real estate to that résumé, and his future only looks brighter. Moreover, one thing’s clear: E.J. is building his own career path, and his parents couldn’t be prouder.