Introduction
Emmitt Smith wife is Patricia Annette Southall, an American entrepreneur, former model, and beauty queen born on December 17, 1970, in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Emmitt Smith is a former Dallas Cowboys running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer who became the NFL’s all-time leading rusher after a remarkable 15-season career.
Patricia Southall, widely known as Pat Smith, has built a public career of her own. She won the Miss Virginia USA title in 1993 and represented Virginia at the Miss USA 1994 pageant, where she finished first runner-up. She later became an entrepreneur, spokesperson, author, philanthropist, and founder of organizations focused on empowering women.
Smith and Southall married on April 22, 2000, and share three children. They also blended children from earlier relationships into their family. In 2020, however, the couple publicly announced that they had decided to separate after two decades of marriage.
This article looks at Patricia Southall’s background, education, career, relationship with Emmitt Smith, family life, charitable work, and what is publicly known about their relationship today.
Who Is Patricia Southall?
Patricia Annette Southall, professionally known as Pat Smith, is an American entrepreneur, former beauty queen, spokesperson, author, and philanthropist. She was born on December 17, 1970, in Chesapeake, Virginia, and grew up in the area.
Southall became nationally known after winning the Miss Virginia USA crown in late 1993. She subsequently represented Virginia at the Miss USA 1994 competition and finished as the first runner-up to Lu Parker of South Carolina.
Her pageant success helped introduce her to a broader audience, but her career eventually moved beyond modeling and beauty competitions. Southall developed an interest in communication, business, women’s empowerment, and philanthropy.
She attended Western Branch High School before enrolling at James Madison University. At university, she studied journalism and became involved in campus activities. Sources also note that she participated in student leadership and was associated with Delta Sigma Theta.
Her education became an important foundation for her later work as a public speaker and entrepreneur. Rather than remaining known only as a former beauty queen or celebrity spouse, Southall developed several independent professional projects.
Her public profile also includes an earlier marriage to actor and comedian Martin Lawrence. The former couple had one daughter, Jasmin Page Lawrence, before divorcing in 1997. Southall later married Emmitt Smith and became part of a blended family.
Patricia Southall’s Career & Professional Life
Patricia Southall’s career has included beauty competitions, entertainment, entrepreneurship, public speaking, writing, and charitable work.
Her first major public achievement came through pageantry. After winning Miss Virginia USA, she competed at Miss USA 1994 and finished first runner-up. That experience gave her a platform that she later used for television appearances, public speaking, and business ventures.
Southall has also worked in entertainment. IMDb credits her with appearances connected to productions including Halfway Point, Beverly Hills, 90210, and The Wayans Bros.
A particularly important part of her career has been her work supporting women. She founded Treasure You, an organization designed to encourage women to discover their purpose, passion, and potential. She has also worked through Pat Smith Enterprises and has been involved in public speaking and philanthropy.
Southall and Emmitt Smith also co-founded Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities. Their charitable efforts focused on creating educational and enrichment opportunities for underserved children. The organization was recognized at the 2012 Trumpet Awards.
She has additionally participated in speaking programs, including Women of Faith’s Celebrate What Matters Tour. Her professional life therefore extends well beyond her connection to one of football’s biggest stars.
There is no consistently reliable public source establishing Patricia Southall’s current personal net worth. Celebrity websites sometimes publish estimates, but these figures are not sufficiently documented to treat as confirmed. It is more accurate to describe her as a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist than to attach an unsupported dollar figure to her wealth.
How Did Emmitt Smith and Patricia Southall Meet?
Public accounts differ slightly about the exact circumstances of Emmitt Smith and Patricia Southall’s first meeting, so it is best to avoid presenting an uncertain story as established fact.
Several biographical sources place the beginning of their relationship around 1998, after Southall’s divorce from Martin Lawrence and while Smith was no longer in his previous relationship. One account says they met during a music-related event in Aruba.
According to published accounts, their relationship developed fairly quickly after their initial meeting. They began dating and maintained a relationship while Smith continued his demanding professional football career.
At that point, Smith was already one of the NFL’s most recognizable players. He had established himself as the Dallas Cowboys’ star running back and was building a legacy that would eventually include the NFL rushing record and Pro Football Hall of Fame recognition.
Southall also had an established public identity. Her Miss Virginia USA title and Miss USA appearance had made her recognizable independently of Smith.
Some biographies report that Smith proposed at a birthday celebration, although details of the engagement vary among secondary sources. What is firmly documented is that the couple eventually married in April 2000 after dating for roughly two years.
Their relationship became a prominent sports-and-entertainment partnership, but their story also developed around family, business, charitable projects, and parenting rather than football alone.
Marriage & Wedding Details
Emmitt Smith and Patricia Southall married on April 22, 2000. The marriage followed Smith’s successful NFL career through the 1990s and Southall’s earlier public career as Miss Virginia USA.
Some secondary sources identify Dallas First Baptist Church as the wedding location, although published accounts are not entirely consistent on every wedding detail.
Their marriage lasted approximately 20 years and produced three children. During that period, they also worked together on philanthropic projects and became known for their blended family.
Their partnership appeared publicly through charity events, television appearances, community work, and family occasions. Their joint work through Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities was especially notable because it connected their public profiles with educational opportunities for children.
However, their marriage did not continue indefinitely. In 2020, Smith and Southall announced publicly that they had decided to separate. Their statement emphasized love, compassion, co-parenting, family, and a desire for privacy.
Because of that announcement, describing Southall simply as Smith’s “current wife” can be misleading. They remain legally associated through their long marriage and family history in many biographical references, but they publicly announced their separation in 2020.
Children & Family Life
Emmitt Smith and Patricia Southall have three children together: Emmitt James Smith IV, Skylar Smith, and Elijah Alexander James Smith.
Emmitt James Smith IV was born on May 15, 2002. His birth was especially memorable because he arrived on his father’s 33rd birthday. He later pursued football and played college football at Texas A&M before signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to biographical reporting.
Their daughter Skylar Smith was born on October 15, 2003. Their youngest child together, Elijah Alexander James Smith, was born on September 22, 2010.
The family also includes children from previous relationships. Emmitt Smith has a daughter, Rheagen Smith, with former partner Hope Wilson. Patricia Southall has a daughter, Jasmin Page Lawrence, from her previous marriage to Martin Lawrence.
That means Smith and Southall helped raise a blended family of five children.
Their family life has often involved a balance between public appearances and private moments. Southall has continued to emphasize family, personal development, faith, and community work, while Smith has remained active in business, sports-related projects, and philanthropy.
Their 2020 separation changed the nature of their relationship, but publicly available accounts indicate that co-parenting remained an important priority.
Patricia Southall on Social Media
Patricia Southall has maintained a public presence on social media, particularly through Instagram, where she has shared aspects of her professional projects, family life, inspirational messages, events, and philanthropic activities.
Her social media presence has also helped her maintain an identity separate from her husband’s football legacy. Her posts have frequently centered on encouragement, family, entrepreneurship, faith, and community involvement.
Because follower numbers can change daily, an exact Instagram follower count should be checked directly before publication rather than treated as a permanent statistic. Available sources identify her Instagram presence but do not provide a sufficiently reliable current count for an evergreen article.
Her online presence reflects the same themes found throughout her career: personal growth, women’s empowerment, family, and charitable work.
Quick Facts About Patricia Southall
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Patricia Annette Southall |
| Date of Birth | December 17, 1970 |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, former model, spokesperson, author, philanthropist |
| Married to | Emmitt Smith |
| Marriage Year | 2000 |
| Children | 3 with Emmitt Smith; 4 children overall |
| Net Worth | Not reliably confirmed |
Patricia Southall was born in Chesapeake, Virginia, and earned a journalism degree from James Madison University. She became Miss Virginia USA and later finished first runner-up at Miss USA 1994.
Her family includes three children with Emmitt Smith and her daughter Jasmin from her previous marriage. Emmitt Smith also has daughter Rheagen from an earlier relationship.
Frequently Asked Questions About Emmitt Smith Wife
Q: What is Emmitt Smith’s wife name?
A: Emmitt Smith married Patricia Annette Southall, commonly known as Pat Smith, on April 22, 2000. They later announced their separation in 2020.
Q: How old is Patricia Southall?
A: Patricia Southall was born on December 17, 1970, in Chesapeake, Virginia. She is 55 years old as of August 2026.
Q: What does Patricia Southall do for a living?
A: Patricia Southall is an entrepreneur, former model, spokesperson, author, public speaker, and philanthropist. She founded Treasure You and has worked through Pat Smith Enterprises.
Q: When did Emmitt Smith and Patricia Southall get married?
A: Emmitt Smith and Patricia Southall married on April 22, 2000. Their marriage lasted about 20 years before they publicly announced their separation in 2020.
Q: How many kids do Emmitt Smith and Patricia Southall have?
A: They have three children together: Emmitt James Smith IV, Skylar Smith, and Elijah Alexander James Smith. Their blended family includes two additional children from previous relationships.
Conclusion
Patricia Southall is much more than the former spouse of an NFL legend. Born in Chesapeake, Virginia, she became Miss Virginia USA, built a career in entrepreneurship and public speaking, and dedicated significant effort to philanthropy and women’s empowerment. She married Emmitt Smith in 2000, and together they raised three children while building a blended family and supporting charitable causes. Although the couple announced their separation in 2020, their decades-long relationship remains an important part of their family histories. For readers searching for Emmitt Smith wife, Patricia Southall’s story offers a broader look at a woman who built her own career, purpose, and public identity alongside one of football’s greatest stars.
