Ezekiel Elliott is headed back to Dallas, where he became a three-time Pro Bowl running back and carried over his stardom from Ohio State.
The Cowboys have agreed to terms with Elliott, according to NFL Network insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, who reported that the transaction will become official after Elliott completes his physical this week.
Elliott’s return to Dallas follows his one-season stint with the New England Patriots. He led a struggling Patriots offense with 642 rushing yards but averaged just 3.5 yards per carry — a career low — and scored only three times on the ground.
That said, Elliott added 313 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns on 51 catches. He ranked fifth on the team in receiving yards, but no Patriots player finished the 2023 campaign with more receptions than Elliott.
While Elliott also rushed for fewer than 4.0 yards per carry during the final leg of his initial seven-year run in Dallas, he still ran for 876 yards and 12 scores that year.
Elliott’s most success, however, came during his first six years in the league. The former No. 4 overall pick eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing barrier four different seasons, three of which he ran for 10 or more touchdowns.
Arguably his best season was his first. Both he and then-fellow-rookie Dak Prescott hit the ground running.
Elliott did so quite literally, earning first-team All-Pro honors after rushing for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns, not to mention his 32 grabs for 363 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.
Elliott led the NFL in rushing that season despite playing in only 15 games. He also wore the crown as the NFL’s top rusher in 2018 when he was named second-team All-Pro.
