A video tribute in recognition of his days with the Cowboys might be in the works, but Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott knows Sunday in Dallas is all about business.
“I’m focused on going to win a football game,” said Elliott, who signed with New England in August as the No. 2 back to Rhamondre Stevenson.
“It’s cool going back to Dallas. I spent a lot of time there. A lot of great times there. But you’ve got to keep the main thing the main thing and that’s going out there, getting better as a team and getting another win.”
The Cowboys parted with Elliott in the offseason. He was scheduled to count $16.4 million against the 2023 salary cap and negotiations geared toward lowering that number were unsuccessful. Owner Jerry Jones said in announcing the move, which saved the Cowboys $10.9 million, that Elliott’s impact “is seared into the Cowboys franchise in a very special and indelible way.”
Elliott is averaging 4.4 yards per carry and coach Bill Belichick recognized after Sunday’s win over the Jets that his fit with the franchise is improving each week.
“I think we’ve got some momentum up front,” Elliott said. “We kind of had to shuffle some guys around on the O-line, kind of getting the group in there and getting the ball rolling.”
Dallas is 2-1 without Elliott and feeding his former backup a hefty workload.
Elliott was slowed in the second half of last season by a knee injury and wasn’t fully healthy in 2021. He rushed for a career-low 876 yards and 3.8 yards per carry in 2022 while Tony Pollard emerged as a 1,000-yard rusher and big-play threat.
Elliott said he’s grateful for Jones and his family for all they’ve done, but Sunday is part of turning the page.
“Not gonna make it bigger than what it is,” Elliott said. “I wanna go out there play Patriot football, I wanna go out there get better, we want to get a win. It’s just the next stop on our 17-game journey.”
Elliott, who signed a six-year, $90 million contract in 2019, led the NFL in rushing in 2016 and 2018 and registered four 1,000-yard seasons. The 2016 first-round pick (fourth overall) ranks third in Dallas history in rushing yards (8,262) and rushing touchdowns (68) behind Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.
–Field Level Media