Former Dallas Cowboys star Emmitt Smith has joined a list of 14 other NFL Hall of Fame players in endorsing Kamala Harris’s run for the White House as part of the Harris campaign’s “Athletes for Harris” initiative. Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, previously of the Detroit Lions, and Alan Page, known for his time with the 1970s Minnesota Vikings, are among those who have pledged their support to the vice president’s campaign.
This endorsement effort is being spearheaded by Michael Tyler, Communications Director for Harris-Walz. He believes that the involvement of these prominent athletes will help make the importance of this election clear to what he refers to as “hard-to-reach voters.” In doing so, they are tapping into some of the biggest legends in sports, sending a clear message: there is no time to sit on the sidelines.
While Smith has not released any personal statement regarding his endorsement, he does have a history of supporting far-left ideas. One example of this is his recent criticism of the University of Florida for discontinuing its race-based diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The other NFL players who have joined Harris’s campaign include Mel Blount, Kellen Winslow, Andre Tippett, Marv Levy, Drew Pearson, Kenny Houston, Jan Stenerud, Robert Brazile, Willie Roaf, Mike Haynes, Elvin Bethea, and Ron Mix.
The “Athletes for Harris” campaign also includes ten co-chairs who represent various sports disciplines: Magic Johnson (basketball), Billie Jean King (tennis), Steve Kerr (basketball), Ali Krieger (soccer), Candace Parker (basketball), Doc Rivers (basketball), Dawn Staley (basketball), Ali Truwit (volleyball), Chris Paul (basketball), and Thomas Booker (American football.
These endorsements have sparked debates on social media, with supporters and detractors alike voicing their opinions.