Emmitt Smith Ditches Eponymous Real Estate Company for New, Eponymous Real Estate Company

Dallas Cowboys legend and NFL Hall-of-Famer Emmitt Smith announced Tuesday that he's leaving the real estate brokerage he helped start in order to start — get this — a new real estate company.

Four years ago, Smith founded E Smith Realty Partners with partners Sharon Morrison and Brant Landry. Landry left the company soon after its founding. Morrison will remain in place at the newly christened ESRP.

"Our success, steady growth and entry into new markets over the last four years have significantly strengthened our core businesses to the point where we can explore new opportunities created by a rapidly changing market," Smith said in a statement. "The decision to withdraw from E Smith Realty Partners was not made lightly; however, it allows for the formation of new ventures with distinct growth opportunities."

Smith will operate a new real estate company, EJ Smith Enterprises. During Smith's time at E Smith Realty Partners, the company negotiated several large lease and property deals, including tech firm NTT Data's new offices at Plano's $3 billion Legacy West development and the sale of the massive DW Distribution shipping hub in DeSoto to Chicago's Brennan Investment Group.

Morrison issued a jargon-filled statement about the benefits that the split with Smith will have for the company she will helm.

"By becoming independent from E Smith Legacy Holdings, ESRP will have much more freedom to focus on its user-focused service offerings and allow E Smith Legacy Holdings to focus on real estate development, construction and other endeavors," Morrison said.

Earlier this month, E Smith Realty Partners hired three new executives, signaling to the business community that the firm might be attempting to shake up its leadership. Morrison denied those rumors at the time, according to the Dallas Business Journal.