Former Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott will reportedly sign a new NFL contract with a familiar franchise, reuniting with the Dallas Cowboys pending a physical, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
Elliott spent his first seven seasons with the Cowboys after being selected by the franchise with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, becoming one of the league’s top backs across that span with 8,262 rushing yards and 68 touchdowns on 1,881 carries. He was named PFWA NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and a first-team All-Pro in 2016 after rushing for a league-high 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns on 322 carries, and earned three Pro Bowl honors (2016, 2018, 2019) across his Cowboys’ career.
After struggling towards the back end of his tenure in Dallas, the Cowboys released Elliot last March to clear cap space, and he signed a one-year, $6 million deal last offseason with the New England Patriots. He started just five games for the franchise in his lone season in Foxboro, Mass., totaling career lows in carries (184), rushing yards (642) and touchdowns (three).
But the former Buckeye running back will now look to resurrect his career on the same team that drafted him, one that had its leading rusher from last season and Elliott’s former tailback mate — Tony Pollard — sign with the Tennessee Titans in free agency this offseason. The Cowboys running back room is currently led by Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn, making Elliott a possible candidate to assume an increased role this upcoming season.
Elliott, 28, is highly regarded as one of the greatest running backs in Ohio State history. He rushed for 3,961 yards and 43 touchdowns on 592 carries — marks that rank third, third and ninth in program history — and was one of the leading forces behind the Buckeyes’ 2014 National Championship run in the inaugural season of the College Football Playoff.
