Out of all the moves, er… non-moves the Dallas Cowboys have made this season, one of them divides the fanbase more than any other.
The Cowboys famously were the only team in the NFL to refrain from signing an outside free agent on the first day of free agency. An embarrassing distinction but the front office wears it proudly.
In favor of outside free agents, the Cowboys instead prioritized “their guys” before looking outside of the building for help.
Returning players include CB Jourdan Lewis, RB Rico Dowdle, LS Trent Sieg, OT Chuma Edoga, and ST ace C.J. Goodwin. The addition that split the fanbase didn’t even play with Dallas in 2023.
After signing veteran free agent RB Royce Freeman to a one-year deal, the Cowboys dipped into the free agent running back well for a second time, this time bringing back fan-favorite Ezekiel Elliott, hence the fanbase split.
Elliott has a unique opportunity to accomplish a feat that isn’t short of incredible in today’s game. Zeke currently sits third on the Cowboys’ all-time list of rushing touchdowns with 68.
Ahead of him are two running backs who are both members of the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor and also of the NFL Hall of Fame. Emmitt Smith’s mark is relatively unattainable at 153 rushing touchdowns and will likely never be matched.
However, Elliott is poised to overtake another running back on that all-time list. The greatest #33 in Cowboys history, Tony Dorsett, is currently 2nd in franchise history with 72 rushing touchdowns.
How Did Zeke Get Here?
Ezekiel Elliott was drafted by the Cowboys with the 4th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft from Ohio State University.
Drafting a running back with a top-five pick in today’s game is unheard of. The position has been de-valued and Elliott might be one of the last to be selected so high.
His impact on the team more than justified his draft position. Elliott was an absolute star as early as the third game of his career.
After two lackluster rushing performances versus division rivals the New York Giants and Washington Redskins where he averaged just 3.25 yards per carry, Elliott came to life.
Week 3 versus the Chicago Bears was Elliott’s breakout game. He rushed for 140 yards on a whopping 30 carries and proceeded to rattle off four consecutive 100+ yard games.
Elliott had a magical rookie season and along with his bestie and fellow rookie QB Dak Prescott, the two injected some much-needed youth into the Cowboys’ organization.
Zeke would reach the 100-yard mark 30 times in his Cowboys career, but none after Week 5 of the 2021 season. That game also marked the first time since 2019 that Elliott would accomplish the feat in consecutive games.
His (first) Cowboys career would come to an unceremonious end, on his back with the clock on zeroes at Levi’s Stadium after a Divisional round playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Soon after, he was a post-June 1st cut for salary cap relief and eventually signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots.
All he did in his first stint with Dallas was rush for 8,262 yards, catch 305 passes for 2,336 yards and score 80 total touchdowns.
He’s Not Too Far Away, Is He?
Truth be told, one rushing touchdown will tie Dorsett at 72 for his career but this is a Cowboys record so Zeke’s three rushing touchdowns with the New England Patriots don’t count.
Four rushing touchdowns will tie the record and a fifth will supplant Dorsett with only Emmitt ahead of him in Cowboys’ history.
So when can we expect this record to be broken? Or is Elliott in danger of not accomplishing the feat?
Ironically, he would likely already be 2nd on the list if not for a ridiculous 6-game suspension levied by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the middle of the 2017 season.
Tony Pollard’s departure in free agency to the Tennessee Titans makes Zeke the most experienced running back on the roster. It arguably makes him the best of them as well.
The rest of the depth chart in the running back room consists of Dowdle, the recently acquired Freeman, year two Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke, and Malik Davis (practice squad).
Zeke’s role is yet to be determined, but I find it hard to believe he won’t get sufficient goal-line carries to hit five rushing touchdowns, something he’s only failed to do in one season of his career: last season with the Patriots.
It would be reckless of me to attempt to place a stamp on the game where he will surpass Dorsett in the record books so I won’t do that.
Let’s just say he will rush for his 5th rushing touchdown at some point before the regular season is over. Whether that happens early on or later in the season depends on how he’s used.