Ezekiel Elliott Sounds Grateful in First Comments After Cowboys Re-Debut

The Dallas Cowboys opened up the 2024 NFL regular season with an emphatic road win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

The story coming out of Cleveland was the impressive play of the Cowboys’ defense under new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. However, the Cowboys’ offense had some moments too as they recorded 265 total yards and scored two touchdowns.

One of those touchdowns was scored by veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott, who returned to the Cowboys this offseason on a one-year deal after he spent the 2023 season with the New England Patriots.

Elliott didn’t have an overly exciting performance on Sunday but ran the ball well with 40 yards on 10 carries. 

After the Cowboys’ 16-point Week 1 win, the 29-year-old running back expressed his gratitude for the chance to return to Dallas this offseason.

“It felt good to be back out there with the star on my helmet,” Elliott said (h/t Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I think we ran the ball solid. There are some things we can work on, but I think it’s a good start.”

Cowboys fans weren’t enthusiastic about the team bringing back Elliott, but what he did in Game 1, could change their minds. Dallas shouldn’t expect the former first-round pick to have game-breaking performances this season.

However, if Elliott can average at least 4.0 yards per carry, be a playmaker in the passing game, and share touches with Rico Dowdle, the Cowboys’ running game might be okay.

The Cowboys will return home next week to face the New Orleans Saints, who dominated the Carolina Panthers in Week 1. Elliott may not be the same running back we saw in 2022 with 876 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. But he’s thankful to be back with the team, which drafted him and helped him become one of the better running backs in the league.

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