This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys welcomed back veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott after signing him to a one-year contract in free agency.
Elliott, who spent the previous season with the New England Patriots, is returning to the Cowboys, the team that originally drafted him and where he spent the first seven years of his NFL career.
During a discussion on Saturday, head coach Mike McCarthy focused on a unique aspect of Elliott’s influence in the locker room. Rather than highlighting Elliott’s impressive ability to score touchdowns — he has 68 with the Cowboys — McCarthy emphasized the 28-year-old’s old-fashioned, spirited locker room presence.
“It felt like he never left,” McCarthy said. “He’s definitely an old school guy. He’ll walk up and give a 60-year-old man a smack on the butt, and it really packs a punch. It’s these kinds of things that make you appreciate him — not the smacking, but his vibrant personality and just having him back in the building.”
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Elliott’s year with the Patriots was underwhelming, with only three touchdowns and a career-low 642 rushing yards. McCarthy and the Cowboys are optimistic that Elliott’s return will boost the team both on the field and through his dynamic presence off it.
