The 2022 season was an up-and-down year for Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. But head coach Mike McCarthy had a rather promising comment about the three-time Pro Bowler.
Speaking to the media on Friday, McCarthy said he expects Elliott to be at 100-percent in 2022. He said that he saw Elliott running at 22 miles per hour in workouts this week.
“I would hope so,” McCarthy said when asked if he’s at 100-percent. “I was looking at the GPS yesterday of the workouts Tuesday. I mean, 22 miles an hour in May is pretty damn good. So yeah, he looks great.”
Despite starting all 17 games for the Cowboys in 2022, the team gave him fewer touches than the previous three seasons. He had 284 total touches while splitting time with Tony Pollard.
Elliott went on to finish the season with 1,002 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. It was still his sixth straight season with over 1,200 yards from scrimmage though.
It’s been a while since Ezekiel Elliott played like the player who dominated the rushing ranks through his first three NFL seasons. 2021 saw Elliott reach career-lows in carries and yards per game.
But with the rise of Tony Pollard last year, there’s a chance the Cowboys lean on the running game more in 2022.
Whether or not Elliott will benefit from that will be interesting to see.
Will Ezekiel Elliott return to Pro Bowl form next season?