Cowboys release Ezekiel Elliott in quiet end to running back’s illustrious Dallas career
Associated PressFRISCO, Texas — The Cowboys released running back Ezekiel Elliott on Tuesday, a quiet end to a Dallas career that started with two rushing titles in three seasons but faded quickly from there. “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.” Elliott spent one season in New England before returning to the Cowboys on a one-year deal, the club hoping there might be something left in a player who averaged 1,351 yards per season and 97 yards per game his first four seasons. Instead, Elliott never really challenged fifth-year player Rico Dowdle for the role of lead back, and Dowdle went on to become the franchise’s first undrafted running back to rush for 1,000 yards. The 2016 All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler finishes his Dallas career with 1,955 carries for 8,488 yards and 71 touchdowns, third on the club in all three categories behind Pro Football Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time rushing leader, and Tony Dorsett.