Ezekiel Elliott set to surpass Cowboys HOFer for career TDs

Ezekiel Elliott can still cement himself as a Dallas Cowboys legend this season.

Randy Gurzi | Jul 7, 2024

Dallas Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

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Say what you will about the decision to re-sign Ezekiel Elliott, but his return could produce decent results — if the Cowboys are willing to be honest about who he is. Elliott is no longer the guy who led the league in rushing in 2016 and 2018. But he's also not far from the guy who ran for 12 touchdowns in 2022.

Zeke, who spent 2023 with the New England Patriots, can still move the pile due to his strength and can be effective in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

Using him in these situations will maximize his effectiveness, and it can lead to him leaping past a Cowboys legend in the record books.

Elliott currently has 68 touchdowns in a Dallas uniform, which is four shy of Tony Dorsett, who had 72 during his tenure in Big D. Dorsett is second in franchise history behind Emmitt Smith, who has an NFL record 164 — 153 of which happened while he played for Dallas.

Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett / Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports

Dorsett holds another record that Elliott is unlikely to touch. He was the first player to ever rush for a 99-yard touchdown, doing so in the 1982 finale.

Ironically enough, Derrick Henry tied that record, and he was the player most Cowboys fans wanted to see the front office pursue this offseason. Instead, they got Elliott.

Dorsett also had 12,036 yards for the Cowboys, which puts him out of reach of Elliott, who has 8,262 yards. Zeke shouldn't be utilized as an every-down back, but he can still get the ball in the end zone, making it a safe bet that he can at least pass the touchdown mark.

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