Cowboys Legend Emmitt Smith Blames Mike McCarthy for Tony Pollard’s Struggles

Cowboys great Emmitt Smith isn’t pleased with how Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy is using tailback Tony Pollard this season, and he made that point abundantly clear during an interview on the Up and Adams show Friday.

Many NFL fans and observers expected a breakout campaign for Pollard this season following the departure of Ezekiel Elliott. But that hasn’t exactly been the case through seven games, and Smith believes McCarthy is to blame.

“Tony Pollard, given the right opportunities can be a great back,” said Smith. “Right now, defenses are gearing up to stop one person, Tony Pollard, in the run game. Therefore, they focus in on him week in and week out like they did with Ezekiel Elliott, and that’s slowing down his running game, and McCarthy is only enhancing [the problem] by not creating opportunities for Pollard to get the ball in certain spaces. That’s McCarthy.”

For all the Tony Pollard naysayers: "Have you ever sat in the #1 seat?"@EmmittSmith22 gave A TON of love to Tony Pollard, and emphasized how Mike McCarthy is not creating opportunities for him@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/GGPPsJ6GrL

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) November 3, 2023

Although Pollard ranks just 16th in the NFL with 423 rushing yards, the Pro Football Hall of Famer believes Pollard can produce explosive plays if Dallas makes it a point to get him the ball.

“Given the opportunities, he is going to make plays,” said Smith. “We are seeing him make some plays—just not the big plays we were accustomed to seeing him make last year.”

McCarthy and the Cowboys may find it difficult to get Pollard going in Week 9 when they encounter an Eagles defense that has allowing a league-low 524 rushing yards on the season.

Kickoff between the Cowboys (5-2) and Eagles (7-1) is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.