The Dallas Cowboys have begun roster evaluations for 2025, and they will have plenty of decisions to make in the coming months regarding who will wear a star on their helmet next September.
Those evaluations have already started to show results. The team announced earlier this week that the second coming of RB Ezekiel Elliott in a Cowboys uniform has come to an end. In a decision that was definitely not as difficult as two years ago, the veteran running back has been released to waivers.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the first official statement after the news broke about Elliott’s release came from the mouth of team Owner/General Manager Jerry Jones.
Out of respect and appreciation for Zeke and wanting to provide him with an opportunity to pursue any playoff participation possible, we are releasing him from the Cowboys roster today.
Dallas, after three consecutive playoff appearances under HC Mike McCarthy, will not be participating in the postseason. They were mathematically eliminated last week when the Washington Commanders upset the Philadelphia Eagles in the final seconds.
It is common practice for veterans to be released from teams with the opportunity to latch on to another team for a playoff run. Jones continued:
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. We thank him, love him, and wish him the absolute best.
Should Elliott be signed by another team ahead of the postseason, he will attempt to go further than the Divisional round for the first time in his career.
It Didn’t Feel Like the First Time
For those Cowboys fans with a pulse, you know that this was Elliott’s second stint with the team. Zeke was drafted with the 4th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, and paired with 4th round pick QB Dak Prescott, made one of the most productive rookie tandems in NFL history.
Elliott took over the role of starting running back for the Cowboys from the moment he was drafted and was fortunate enough to run behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL for the first few seasons of his career.
I can still hear the chants of “Zeeeeeeeeeeeke” from the home crowd, and I can picture Elliott getting up after a long run and signaling the “feed me” gesture before pointing for a first down. Those were the days when the Cowboys’ offense was exciting, and we didn’t have to hold our breaths on 4th & 1.
Elliott’s second go-round is one to forget. He appeared in 15 games, and rushed 76 times for just 226 yards and three short touchdown runs. His 3.1 yards per carry average was well below his career average of 4.3 during his first stint with the Cowboys, and the #15 jersey just never did look right.
Zeke wearing #21 will always be the Elliott that I remember. The player who rushed for 8,488 yards and 71 touchdowns while also hauling in 317 catches and another 12 touchdowns as a receiver out of the backfield.
What’s Next For Zeke?
I really hope Ezekiel Elliott gets picked up by another team so he can fulfill his dream of getting to a Super Bowl. Teams are always in the market for short-yardage backs who have a nose for first downs.
He might not be as fast or as nimble as years past, but Elliott has veteran savvy to add to the physical skills he still has left, and he would be a good presence in the running back room for a team with young players in their first playoff runs.
A team like the Detroit Lions, who lost David Montgomery to injury could use a back with Zeke’s skillset and experience. Best of luck to him if he catches on anywhere else.