Ezekiel Elliott has returned to Dallas. And while no one realistically assumes he’ll lead the league in rushing (as he did two times in his first three seasons), make the Pro Bowl (as he did three times in his first four seasons), or even break 1,000 yards (as he did four times in his first six years), the expectation is that he will nevertheless make a noticeable contribution on the field.
Yes, he turned in career lows in New England last season in rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and yards per attempt, but the 225-pounder still showed enough power to earn a second stint in the Cowboys backfield, where he’ll likely be used on short-yardage downs, in goal-line situations, and as a reliable target in the passing game, not to mention his blocking prowess in pass protection.
But his Cowboys comeback could also help him climb the historical rankings in a few high-profile categories. Here’s where Elliott stands now, plus a few of the numbers to keep an eye on from the new No. 15 during the 2024 season.
NFL all-time rushing yards: 8,904 (40th place)
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) runs the ball in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023.
Elliott currently stands 40th on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. The 642 yards he gained on the ground last season were enough to surpass Willis McGahee, Jim Taylor, and Terry Allen. If Elliott matches that total in 2024, he’ll move ahead of Ahman Green, Earl Campbell, and Shaun Alexander, and he’ll be 36th on the list, where Derrick Henry- who will obviously keep climbing- is now.
But let’s give Elliott more credit than that, if only for the sake of argument. After all, he’s returning to a team he knows, he’s running behind (at least a few) familiar blockers, and he’s got a much better offense around him. Let’s say Elliott finds a groove and goes for 876 yards, his total from 2022, the season that had many Dallas fans calling him washed.
With another 876-yard effort, he would also pass Chris Johnson and Joe Perry, and he’d be just steps behind Matt Forte in 34th place all-time. (Again, assuming Henry moves up, too.)
Elliott currently has 8,904 rushing yards. Reaching the 10,000-yard plateau is something only 31 men have done (Henry should certainly become the 32nd this season), but at what seems to be his pace now, Zeke’s unlikely to get there until 2025, at best.
Cowboys franchise rushing yards: 8,262 (3rd place)
2 Jan 1999: Emmitt Smith #22 of the Dallas Cowboys in action during the NFC Wildcard Game against the Arizona Cardinals at the Texas Stadium in Irvine, Texas. The Cardinals defeated the Cowboys 20-7.
Even a magical season in Dallas won’t move Elliott any higher on the Mount Rushmore of Cowboys running backs. He’s in third place now (ahead of Don Perkins), but still 3,774 yards behind what Tony Dorsett compiled while wearing the star. And he’s not even halfway to Emmitt Smith’s franchise-leading 17,162 yards in a Cowboys uniform.
Cowboys franchise rushing TDs: 68 (3rd place)
Elliott should, however, overtake Dorsett in another stat: rushing touchdowns. The 68 he has now as a Cowboy are just four behind T.D. If he bulls his way into the end zone five times- something he’s done in every season except 2023- he’ll move into sole possession of second place in team history. Smith’s 153 rushing scores- the franchise mark- is safely out of reach.
NFL all-time rushing TDs: 71 (32nd place)
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Five ground scores would move Elliott into the league’s all-time top 25 in rushing touchdowns, too, pushing him ahead of LeSean McCoy, Terry Allen, Leroy Kelly, Campbell, Portis, and Cam Newton.
He’s only 10 rushing touchdowns away from the NFL’s all-time top 20 in the category. Elliott hit that figure in four of his seven previous seasons with Dallas, even in his “down” year of 2022.
Cowboys franchise receptions, receiving yards: 305 (10th place), 2,336 (29th place)
Paul Gero/The Arizona Republic-USA TODAY Sports
Elliott brings value as a receiver out of the backfield, too. Last season with the Patriots, he logged 51 catches for 313 yards and two scores.
If he duplicates those totals in 2024, Elliott would move into the franchise’s top 10 in receptions, overtaking Cole Beasley and Jay Novacek. And he’d crack the Cowboys’ top 25 in receiving yards, moving past Joey Galloway, Billy Howton, Alvin Harper, Mike Renfro, and Herschel Walker.
