FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys have officially parted ways with running back Ezekiel Elliott as of Tuesday, marking a quiet conclusion to a career that initially showcased immense promise with two rushing titles in his first three seasons but has since diminished significantly.
This move comes after Elliott’s second tenure with the franchise that selected him fourth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. Following the conclusion of the 2022 season, the Cowboys made the decision to release him as part of a strategy to reduce expenses.
Elliott, now 29, may find a new opportunity with a playoff-bound team seeking veteran depth at the running back position. This scenario bears resemblance to last season when Dalvin Cook, a four-time Pro Bowler, was released by the New York Jets and later joined the Baltimore Ravens, contributing to their wild-card victory. Currently, Cook is part of the Cowboys’ practice squad.
Dallas owner and general manager Jerry Jones expressed his respect for Elliott, stating, “Out of respect and appreciation for Zeke and wanting to provide him with an opportunity to pursue any potential playoff participation possible, we are releasing him from the Cowboys roster today. As I have said many times previously, Zeke’s impact as one of the greatest to ever play with the Star on their helmet will never change and is etched in our record books and history forever.”
Elliott had a brief stint with the New England Patriots before rejoining the Cowboys on a one-year deal, in hopes of reviving the player who had previously averaged an impressive 1,351 rushing yards and 97 yards per game in his first four seasons. However, he struggled to outperform fifth-year player Rico Dowdle for the primary running back position, leading to Dowdle becoming the franchise’s first undrafted running back to rush for over 1,000 yards. As of now, Dowdle has tallied 1,007 yards as the Cowboys prepare for their final game of the season against the playoff-bound Washington team.
In stark contrast, Elliott managed only 74 carries for 226 yards during the season, resulting in a disappointing average of 3.1 yards per carry, both career lows for the player. His first two seasons in Dallas were marred by off-field controversies, including a six-game suspension in 2017 stemming from domestic violence claims. Similar troubles arose this season when he was benched for disciplinary reasons during a game against Atlanta, although he returned for the subsequent eight games.
During his career, Elliott achieved two rushing titles and led the NFL in rushing yards per game for all three of his initial seasons, despite holding out for the entire 2019 preseason before ultimately signing a lucrative $90 million contract. Unfortunately, his performance did not reflect the high cost of his contract. Throughout his time with the Cowboys, the 2016 All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler accumulated 1,955 carries for 8,488 yards and 71 touchdowns, ranking third in franchise history in all three categories, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett. In total, Elliott finishes his career with 9,130 rushing yards and 74 touchdowns.
