Skip to main content
Join

Report: Dallas Cowboys releasing Ezekiel Elliott

by:Alex Byington•12/31/24•

_AlexByington

NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott before action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The reunion between Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys was short lived.

The veteran running back has reportedly requested his release and the Dallas Cowboys are granting it, according to Josina Anderson.

Elliott has struggled to find a role in the Cowboys’ offense this season, regularly taking a backseat to starter Rico Dowdle.

Elliott has just 226 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 74 total carries this season with the Cowboys, including three carries for just two total yards in last Sunday’s 41-7 loss at Philadelphia. Dowdle eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the season after his 104-yard effort Sunday against the Eagles.

The 29-year-old Elliott was in the midst of his second stint in Dallas following a one-year move to New England after being released by the Cowboys on March 15, 2023, following a seven-year run with the organization that drafted him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Elliott was a healthy scratch and didn’t travel with the team for its Nov. 3 game at Atlanta while serving some sort of internal discipline.

Mike McCarthy addresses Ezekiel Elliott punishment

Elliott was being disciplined by the franchise after weeks of build-up.

Just over 24 hours after the Falcons loss, head coach Mike McCarthy gave an update on where Elliott stands with the Cowboys. There has not been a meeting between the two quite yet but McCarthy says Elliott should be available for Week 10. A huge game is upcoming for Dallas as bitter NFC East rival Philadelphia is coming to town.

“Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Ezekiel Elliott will be available this week after he was disciplined by the team last week and didn’t make the trip to Atlanta,” Jon Machota of The Athletic said via X.

Dallas had its best rushing day of the season against the Falcons, both in total yards and yards per carry. Rico Dowdle was the team’s leading rusher with 75 yards. In total, the Cowboys went for 137 yards — just the third game to break the century mark — and averaged 6.5 YPC.

Griffin McVeigh contributed to this report.