Ezekiel Elliott is back where it all began — and going back to his roots.
Elliott, who signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys this week, is rejoining the team he spent the first seven years of his career with. However, Elliott isn’t doing things entirely the same way this time around.
Elliott, who famously wore No. 21 in his first stint with the Cowboys, is changing his jersey number. Elliott is going back to his college roots, as he’ll wear No. 15, the jersey he donned at Ohio State. Elliott is taking the number of backup quarterback Trey Lance, who is switching to No. 19.
In his second stint in Dallas, Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott now will go back to wearing No. 15, the same number he wore at Ohio State.
To help make this possible, Cowboys QB Trey Lance is switching from No. 15 to No. 19. pic.twitter.com/A6E4mmeBpn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 1, 2024
Elliott was drafted with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Cowboys. He immediately burst onto the scene, leading the NFL in rushing attempts (322) and rushing yards (1,631) in his rookie season. He also had an impressive 15 rushing touchdowns, finishing third behind LeGarrette Blount (18) and David Johnson (16).
Zeke followed up his All-Pro and Pro Bowl 2016 season with another great 2017 season, but unfortunately only played in 10 games due to injury. He was back in 2018 and 2019 playing 15 and 16 games, respectively, and rushed for over 1,000 yards in both seasons.
In 2018, Elliott led the NFL with 304 rushing attempts and 1,434 rushing yards. In 2019, he had 1,357 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
Elliott would go on to have one more 1,000-plus yard season with Dallas in 2021, before playing his final season with the Cowboys in 2022, when he rushed for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns while splitting time with Tony Pollard.
In 2023, the Cowboys elected not to bring Elliott back, and he ended up signing a one-year deal with the New England Patriots. Elliott appeared in all 17 games with New England, rushing 184 times for 642 yards and three touchdowns in a running back by committee. He wore No. 15 with the Patriots.
Now, after a one-year vacation in the Northeast, Elliott is back in Dallas and should play a big role in a running back room that lacks experience.
Alongside Elliott is Rico Dowdle, who has been with the Cowboys since 2020 and has just 96 rushes for 385 yards and two touchdowns in his career. Then there’s Deuce Vaughn, who was drafted by the Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and had 30 total touches for 80 yards last season.
Veteran running back Royce Freeman has the most experience of the bunch aside from Elliott. The Cowboys signed him to a one-year deal in the middle of April, and he brings with him 471 career rushes for 1,792 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Behind the four aforementioned running backs are Malik Davis and Snoop Conner, each with limited experience, and Nathaniel Peat, an undrafted free agent out of Missouri.
Elliott is already listed as the starter on the Cowboys’ depth chart and should assume the role as the top back assuming they don’t make any other moves before the start of the season.
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