FRISCO, Texas – It’s officially official: Ezekiel Elliott is a member of the Dallas Cowboys. Having signed his new contract on Tuesday, the former All-Pro running back reported to offseason conditioning with quarterback Dak Prescott and the rest of the offensive players to begin preparation for the 2024 season, one that will mark his ninth in the league and eighth with the Cowboys.
His only year outside of Dallas was spent with the New England Patriots as No. 15 in 2023, but he now has his old No. 21 back with the Cowboys.
“It feels great to be home,” the former two-time NFL rushing champion said. “I definitely missed being here. I missed this building. I missed the Cowboy Nation. I’m definitely excited and ready to get this thing going.”
However, this time things look wildly different in the running back room for Elliott.
Tony Pollard now plays for the Tennessee Titans and Rico Dowdle has been promoted to be his complementary running back, along with Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke, Snoop Conner and Royce Freeman, all names that weren’t around when Elliott led the locker room in the 2022 season.
“It’s definitely good to see TP get paid,” Elliott said. “He’s a tremendous running back who’s had an incredible career. I’m excited for him and his family. … He’s definitely going to be different. Talk about the explosiveness that Tony brings to the room.”
That’s where Dowdle comes in, and Elliott is very familiar with Dowdle’s playing style having had several seasons with him before 2023.
“Rico definitely had a great year last year; he finally got healthy,” Elliott said. “He was able to show his ability. He runs the ball very hard and that’s something I love about his game. It will be fun to play with Rico [nuevamente] this year”.
For Elliott, it’s about stepping in and being what the Cowboys need: a leader on the field and a mentor in the locker room and meeting rooms, things he’s proven to be in years past.
Mentally he’s a far cry from when he entered the league as Dallas’ fourth overall pick in 2016: an unproven talent with a lot to prove and who, along with Prescott, was asked to shoulder the burden of carrying the entire organization after the It was Tony Romo.
Today, he is an eight-year veteran with stories to tell and lessons to share.
“Just being in this league for as long as I am, being comfortable with who I am and getting as many reps as I have, I can focus on bringing other guys in and helping them find their way,” Elliott said. “…Many capable guys with many different talents [en nuestra sala de corredor]. “It will be exciting to work with them, push each other and help each other become better football players.”
Still on the right side of his 30s, there’s still plenty of tread left on Elliott’s tires, as he produced nearly 1,000 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns for the Patriots in just five starts last season; and that’s not including a play he turned into a 70-yard touchdown that was called back due to a teammate penalty.
With that, he would have surpassed the 1,000-yard mark.
“I just showed that I can be a starter in this league,” he said of his time in New England. “I can still play at a high level. I’m going to continue that here. … I’ve always prided myself on being a complete running back back there.
“Not just running the ball, but also protecting the quarterback and catching the ball out of the backfield.”
Already ranked third in franchise history in rushing yards, average rushing yards per game and average yards per carry, it appears as if Elliott has no plans to slow down as he writes his next chapter in his Cowboys’ legacy.
2024-04-30 20:20:10
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