“As we take this journey toward the next chapter in our lives, we ask for privacy at this time,” former Cowboys legendary RB, Emmitt Smith, mentioned earlier. In 2020, NFL legend Emmitt Smith and his ex-wife, Pat Smith, ended their 20-year marriage with this statement. Now, five years later, Pat has stirred emotions with a candid revelation about her past.
On her official Instagram, Pat—an entrepreneur and producer—shared a painful truth about a former relationship. She reposted a story from The Mel Robbins Podcast featuring Mel Robbins and Jay Shetty, with the caption, “This was me… WAS!!!” In the episode, Robbins and Shetty discussed how people can move forward peacefully when they’re grieving a past version of themselves—a message that clearly resonated with Pat.
As New York Times bestselling author Jay Shetty offered timeless advice on focusing on what truly matters, blocking out distractions, and moving forward with clarity and purpose, Emmitt Smith’s ex-wife, Pat Smith, found a deep connection to her past relationship.
“You’re actually grieving a past version of yourself. There’s a part of you that’s died, that you left behind a long time ago—but you still miss it. You want things to be the same, and that keeps pulling you back. It’s blocking you from moving forward,” Shetty explained on his podcast On Purpose.
He continued, “We’re not stuck because we don’t know what to do next—we’re stuck because part of us wants to hold on to what we had. There’s a beautiful Zen teaching that says, ‘What’s holding you back is what you’re holding on to.’”
Shetty emphasized how we cling to identities, mindsets, or habits that no longer serve us. “Once you let go—once you open and release your hands—you feel free,” he added. “So what identity, what habit, what expectation are you letting hold you back? What could you let go of to move forward?”
This powerful message clearly resonated with Pat Smith. The CEO of Pat Smith Enterprises reposted the podcast clip on Instagram with the caption, “This was me… WAS!!!” She also shared a quote by Goldy Waiting that read, “You are about to know why you went through what you did. You are about to look back and understand.”
Through these posts, it’s evident that Pat has been navigating a journey of healing and personal growth since her divorce from Emmitt Smith.
Pat and Emmitt Smith: A look at their split
Emmitt Smith, who played for 15 seasons in the NFL as the league’s all-time leading rusher, had the most tragic phase in his personal life. In August 2020, Smith made the heartfelt announcement of his divorce from his ex-wife, Pat Smith, through an IG post.
“We are publicly sharing that after much contemplation and prayer, we have decided to separate. Also, we will continue to move forward with love and compassion for one another, as co-parents and friends,” he continued. “We will work together in the best interest of our children, our family, community, and business. As we take this journey toward the next chapter in our lives, we ask for privacy at this time,” he wrote in his post.
Before going their separate ways, the couple celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in April. They share five children: Jasmin, Skylar, Rheagan, Elijah, and EJ. Jasmin is Pat’s daughter from her previous marriage to actor-comedian Martin Lawrence. Rheagan is Emmitt’s daughter from a previous relationship with ex-girlfriend Hope Wilson.
Like Emmitt, his ex-wife is also a driven, career-focused individual. A former Miss Virginia, she was the runner-up in the Miss USA pageant in 1994. Emmitt Smith, who holds multiple NFL rushing records, including 18,355 yards and 164 touchdowns. Also, he co-founded the charity organization Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities with his ex-wife.
“The way we see it, with the resources we have, the things we’re doing are not necessarily for us. We’ve benefited because it does feel good doing it. But yet we know that ‘to whom much is given, much is required.’ That’s just who we are,” he remarked.
According to reports, the organization had served over 150,000 children by 2017 through the distribution of funds and scholarships, leaving a lasting positive impact on the community.
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