Just five days before the Dallas Cowboys played their season finale, three-time Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott asked to be released in hopes of joining a playoff-bound team in pursuit of a Super Bowl ring.
Dallas agreed to his requestand Elliott will now be eligible to participate in the postseason after joining the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad on Tuesday night, according to NFL Media.
Elliott became a Charger because he lost a contest for his old job as the Cowboys’ leading rusher and undrafted veteran Rico Dowdle took that job and produced the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career. Elliott rushed 74 times for 226 yards and three touchdowns while catching 12 passes for 69 yards in 15 games played in 2024.
He entered the NFL as the fourth overall pick in the 2016 Draft out of Ohio State. Elliott began running at the professional level, rushing for 1,631 yards and a league-best 15 touchdowns in his rookie year, earning him a first-team All-Pro selection as well as a trip to the Pro Bowl. He led the NFL in rushing yards per game in each of his first three seasons and led the league in total rushing yards for the second time in 2018 with 1,434 yards. During his career with the Cowboys, Elliott was named All-Pro twice and made three Pro Bowls. However, Elliott has not rushed for 1,000 yards or averaged more than 3.8 yards per carry since 2021.
What can Elliott bring to the Chargers?
The Cowboys’ third all-time leading rusher, still only 29 years old, is a deep signing for an 11-6 Chargers team that has battled injuries at the running back position throughout this season.
Leading rusher JK Dobbins, who has 905 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 195 carries this season, missed four games from Weeks 13-16. due to a knee sprain suffered in Week 12 against the Baltimore Ravens. No. 2 running back Gus Edwards has missed six games this season with an ankle injury and did not play in Los Angeles’ final two regular-season games.
Elliott’s new team is set to take him back to Texas on Saturday for the first game of the postseason, a 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS showdown against the AFC South champion Houston Texans (10-7).
If Edwards is unable to suit up this weekend, Elliott could have a chance to be elevated to the active roster and play on Saturday.
