After playing second fiddle to Ezekiel Elliott in 2022, Tony Pollard was given the opportunity to take the helm of the Dallas Cowboys’ running back unit in 2023.
However, Pollard was unable to return to his Pro Bowl level because to the added carries and greater responsibility.
Tony Pollard took over as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys’ running back room in 2023 after playing second fiddle to Ezekiel Elliott in 2022. Dak Prescott led the team to a 12-5 record with the highest-scoring offence in football. Maybe the only offensive aspect of the team that wasn’t “firing” was their run game.
However, Pollard was unable to return to his Pro Bowl level because to the added carries and greater responsibility.
Maybe the only offensive weapon the Cowboys had thatPollard still gained 1,005 yards from the ground, surpassing that total for the second consecutive season, but how did his performance compare to that of the other 72 starting running backs this season?
Pollard exceeded 1,000 rushing yards in his debut season as Dallas’ top back, but NFL.com notes that he wasn’t nearly as effective when he covered Ezekiel Elliott, dropping from 5.2 yards per carry in 2022 to just 4.0 in ’23. “His time in Dallas is probably coming to an end, but as a free agent, he would find a place to call home soon enough.
Pollard was less productive despite carrying the ball more often and only found the end zone six times in 17 games (he had two touchdowns in the first nine games). This supports the theory that Dallas will turn elsewhere for its 2024 productivity.
With his lightning-fast feet and explosive speed, Pollard emerged as the ultimate counterbalance to Elliott’s muscular style last season, with NFL.com ranking him 12th in the NFL among other starting backs. However, Pollard only reached the 100-yard mark in a game once (twice in 2022). That didn’t carry over to 2023.
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