PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : NFC : Smith Exam Shows No Serious Damage

You can’t keep Emmitt Smith down for long.

It looked as if the NFL’s rushing leader might be gone for the season on Thanksgiving after he injured his left knee and was carted to the locker room. Instead, he might be able to play next week.

Smith, who has sat out only one game due to injury in his pro career, suffered a mild sprain of the medial collateral ligament against Kansas City and could play Dec. 3 when Dallas plays host to Washington.

An MRI performed at Baylor University Medical Center on Friday “showed no serious damage,” Cowboy publicist Rich Dalrymple said.

“Doctors said Emmitt will be listed as probable day-to-day and he could play next week,” Dalrymple said. “Doctors will know more next Monday about his availability against the Redskins.”

Smith was carried off the field after he injured his knee on a cutback in the third quarter against the Chiefs. He wasn’t touched as he planted his shoe on Texas Stadium’s artificial surface, which hasn’t been replaced since about 1980.

“Emmitt’s MRI is something we can all be thankful for,” Dallas Coach Barry Switzer said. “Everybody knows his value to this football team. We’re not going to rush his recovery.

“We’ve got 10 days before our next game and we’re going to treat his knee and rehab it so that when he returns he’ll be 100%. Our medical staff is not setting a date for him returning to practice.”

Owner Jerry Jones, who two years ago found out the hard way about Smith’s value to the team, said “We’re thrilled about the news about Emmitt.”

Smith sat out the first two games of the 1993 season because of a contract dispute with Jones, who yielded to Smith’s demands after Dallas lost the two games without him. The Cowboys then rallied to win a second consecutive Super Bowl.

While the news was good about Smith, the 24-12 victory over the Chiefs was still costly. Center Ray Donaldson is out for the season and the playoffs because of a broken right ankle. He underwent two hours of surgery Friday.