Patriots' Ezekiel Elliott addresses facing Cowboys for first time

Current New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott is looking forward to his return to AT&T Stadium for this coming Sunday's game at the 2-1 Dallas Cowboys after the Cowboys released him following the 2022 season. 

"It’s going to be fun," Elliott said about the experience, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. "I’m excited to go back to Dallas, a place where I have so much history, my home in the offseason. It will be cool to get back in AT&T."

Elliott originally joined the Cowboys as the fourth overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft and ultimately earned three Pro Bowl selections and a single First-Team All-Pro nod with the organization. However, he became surplus to requirements in Dallas after the club held onto Tony Pollard via the franchise tag during an offseason that featured multiple veteran running backs failing to receive lucrative long-term contracts from teams. 

Elliott signed a one-year deal reportedly worth up to $6M with the Patriots in August. He's thus far recorded 122 rushing yards on 28 carries to go along with six catches for eight yards playing for a New England side that improved to 1-2 thanks to Sunday's 15-10 win at the New York Jets. 

"I’m looking at it as any other week," Elliott insisted about this Sunday's homecoming. "Just another game. It will be fun to get back out there in front of the Dallas fans." 

Elliott may have something to prove to both his former team and his current employer in Week 4. As noted by ESPN stats, Rhamondre Stevenson leads the Patriots this season with 134 rushing yards that he's accumulated across 46 carries, 18 more attempts than Elliott has thus far received. 

"I was definitely disappointed but everything happens for a reason," Elliott admitted about being cut by the Cowboys in March. "God has his plan for us. I’m excited for this next chapter in my life. I’m excited to be a Patriot, I’m excited to go chase a Super Bowl here." 

As of Monday afternoon, OddsChecker listed the Patriots as significant underdogs (+260, +7) for Sunday's matchup. Elliott carrying New England to an upset road win could give him somewhat of a last laugh in Dallas, if only for a couple of hours on the first day of October.