Ezekiel Elliott Bio
Ezekiel Elijah Elliott, nicknamed “Zeke,” is an American professional football running back born on July 22, 1995, in Alton, Illinois. He played college football at Ohio State University, where he became one of the most decorated rushers in school history before being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Across his professional career, Elliott has earned three Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro honors, and two NFL rushing titles, establishing himself as one of the premier running backs of his era. After a seven-year run with the Cowboys, he spent time with the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers, and returned to Dallas in 2024.
Early Life and Background
Ezekiel Elijah Elliott was raised in a deeply athletic household. His mother, the former Dawn Huff, was a high school state champion in three sports before attending the University of Missouri and competing on the track team. His father, Stacy Elliott, played linebacker for the Missouri football team and later became CEO of Fifth Down Enterprises. Elliott’s maternal grandfather played basketball for Drake University, and his uncle is Finnish professional basketball player Shawn Huff, giving the family a broad sporting pedigree across multiple disciplines.
Despite that athletic background, Elliott attended the academically driven John Burroughs School in Ladue, Missouri, where he starred in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field. As a junior in 2012, he was named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offensive player of the year after rushing for 1,802 yards and 34 touchdowns. In his senior year, he produced 3,061 all-purpose yards and 50 total touchdowns, including 2,155 rushing yards and 40 rushing scores. He also won four state championships at the Missouri Class 3 meet in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 110-meter high hurdles, and 300-meter hurdles, earning Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year honors in Missouri.
Path to American Football
Considered a four-star recruit and the ninth-ranked running back in the nation in 2013, Elliott played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Although there was heavy pressure for him to sign with his parents’ alma mater, the University of Missouri, he instead committed to Ohio State University. That choice set the stage for one of the most productive college careers in Buckeyes history, blending a high-volume rushing role with a steady progression through national title competition.
Ezekiel Elliott Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
As a true freshman at Ohio State University in 2013, Elliott rushed for 262 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns while backing up starter Carlos Hyde and contributing on special teams. After Hyde’s departure for the NFL, Elliott took over as the lead back in 2014. That season, he was named to the Academic All-Big Ten Conference team and rushed for more than 100 yards six times during the regular season, including a 220-yard performance in the Big Ten Championship Game against the Wisconsin Badgers.
Elliott’s breakout continued into the postseason. In the 2015 Sugar Bowl against Alabama, he ran for 230 yards on 20 carries, including an 85-yard touchdown run, and was named Offensive Player of the Game. He then capped the 2014 campaign with 246 rushing yards and four touchdowns against the Oregon Ducks in the College Football Playoff National Championship, earning Offensive MVP honors and securing a national title.
Ohio State Stardom (2015 Season)
In 2015, Elliott opened the year with 10 consecutive games over 100 rushing yards, including a 274-yard outburst against Indiana. After a loss to Michigan State, he announced he would enter the 2016 NFL Draft, then closed the regular season with 214 yards on 30 carries against rival Michigan. He finished his college career with 149 yards and four touchdowns in a Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame, ending his Ohio State tenure second in career rushing yards with 3,961 and yards per game at 101.6, trailing only Archie Griffin in both categories.
Elliott’s 2015 honors included the Big Ten Most Valuable Player, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Running Back of the Year, unanimous First-team All-Big Ten, and second-team All-American recognition. He was also a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy before finishing eighth in the voting. Earlier, in 2014, he had been named the James E. Sullivan Award winner as the top amateur athlete in the United States.
Dallas Cowboys First Stint (2016–2022)
Elliott was selected fourth overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 NFL Draft, the first running back taken that year, and signed a four-year rookie contract worth a reported $24.9 million with a $16.3 million signing bonus. He quickly became the centerpiece of the offense, reaching his first 100-yard game in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears and surpassing 1,000 rushing yards by Week 9, joining Adrian Peterson and Eric Dickerson as the only running backs to reach that mark that early in their careers.
Elliott finished his rookie season with 1,631 rushing yards, the third most by a rookie in NFL history, and 15 rushing touchdowns, earning First-team All-Pro honors, his first Pro Bowl selection, and the PFWA NFL Rookie of the Year award. He and quarterback Dak Prescott became the first rookie running back and quarterback duo in league history to be named to the Pro Bowl together. In 2017, he played through a six-game suspension tied to the league’s personal conduct policy and finished the year with 983 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games.
In 2018, Elliott led the NFL in rushing for the second time with 1,434 yards and added 77 receptions for 567 yards, earning another Pro Bowl nod. The Cowboys won the NFC East and advanced to the Divisional Round, where they fell to the Los Angeles Rams. After a brief training camp holdout in 2019, Elliott signed a six-year extension worth $90 million with $50 million guaranteed, then rushed for 1,357 yards and 12 touchdowns to earn his third Pro Bowl selection.
Elliott’s production dipped slightly in 2020 with 979 rushing yards, but he returned to the 1,000-yard mark in 2021 with 1,002 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns despite battling knee and ankle injuries. In 2022, he started 15 games and rushed 12 touchdowns, the second-highest total of his career, though the Cowboys were eliminated in the Divisional Round by the San Francisco 49ers. The team released him on March 15, 2023.
New England Patriots (2023 Season)
On August 16, 2023, Elliott signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the New England Patriots. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien stated that Elliott would be used primarily in third-down and red zone situations behind starter Rhamondre Stevenson. He produced 140 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown in a Week 14 road victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Elliott finished the 2023 season with 184 carries for 642 yards and three touchdowns, adding 51 receptions for 313 yards and two touchdowns across 17 games and five starts.
Dallas Cowboys Second Stint (2024 Season)
On April 30, 2024, Elliott signed a one-year, $2 million contract to return to the Dallas Cowboys. In the season opener against the Cleveland Browns, he ran 10 times for 40 yards with a touchdown and added two receptions, helping power a blowout victory. As the Cowboys failed to qualify for the postseason, Elliott requested his release in December 2024 to pursue an opportunity with a playoff-bound team, and the two sides agreed to part ways. He finished the 2024 season with 74 carries for 226 yards and three touchdowns.
Los Angeles Chargers (2025)
On January 6, 2025, Elliott signed with the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad. He was not elevated to the active roster for the wild-card game against the Houston Texans, and his practice squad contract officially expired on January 20, 2025.
Notable Events and Milestones
Elliott reached 1,000 rushing yards faster than any Dallas Cowboys rookie since Tony Dorsett in 1977 and finished his rookie year as the league’s leading rusher. He earned two NFL rushing titles, three Pro Bowl selections, two All-Pro selections, and the PFWA NFL Rookie of the Year award. His leap into the Salvation Army Red Kettle following a Thanksgiving Day touchdown in 2016 became one of the most memorable celebrations of his career.
Ezekiel Elliott Career Wins
Across his professional career, Elliott has recorded thousands of rushing yards and dozens of touchdowns, complemented by reliable work as a receiver out of the backfield. His rushing titles in 2016 and 2018 anchor a résumé built on durability, pass-catching ability, and production in high-volume roles.
NFL Highlights
Elliott’s first NFL win as a lead back came in Week 3 of 2016 against the Chicago Bears, when he rushed 30 times for 140 yards in a 31–17 victory. His first signature performance as a receiver came in Week 10 of that season, when he totaled 209 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns, including an 83-yard receiving score from Dak Prescott, in a road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Most recently, he contributed a rushing touchdown in the 2024 season-opening win over the Cleveland Browns before concluding his second stint with Dallas.
College Highlights
At Ohio State, Elliott was part of the 2014 College Football Playoff National Championship team and earned Offensive MVP honors in both the Sugar Bowl and the title game. He won the James E. Sullivan Award in 2014 and swept Big Ten running back and offensive player of the year honors in 2015.
Ezekiel Elliott Family
Family Background and Athletic Lineage
Elliott was born to Stacy and Dawn Elliott, both former college athletes. His mother, the former Dawn Huff, won three state high school championships before running track at the University of Missouri. His father, Stacy, played linebacker for the Missouri football team and later led Fifth Down Enterprises. Elliott’s maternal grandfather played basketball at Drake University, and his uncle, Shawn Huff, has had a long professional basketball career in Finland.
Personal Life
After signing his rookie contract, Elliott purchased a new home for his parents. He studied marketing at Ohio State University. In August 2020, he became a shareholder in OnCore Golf Technology, Inc., a Buffalo, New York-based golf ball manufacturer.
2025 Season Performance
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, Elliott is an experienced veteran who has continued to adjust his role as a complementary pass-catching and short-yardage back. After his practice squad contract with the Los Angeles Chargers expired in January 2025, his next opportunity remains to be determined. With more than 6,000 career rushing yards and a long track record of durability and production, he remains an attractive option for a contender in need of backfield depth.