Dallas Cowboys no longer have a running back by committee: Rico Dowdle is officially the lead back

The Dallas Cowboys have finally made what was known official: Rico Dowdle is the team’s lead back.

The rotation of running backs in a running back by committee approach that the team has outlined since the offseason as the best way to handle the running game in 2024 is now dead.

Dowdle told ALL CITY DLLS as much on Wednesday and coach Mike McCarthy co-signed the new plan on Thursday.

“Definitely, you have to get him the ball,” McCarthy said. “That’s my focus to continue to get him opportunities. He’s the lead back.”

Considering Dowdle’s road to NFL as a undrafted free agent and then being injured his first couple of seasons in league, it is a moment worth celebrating and acknowledging, despite the team’s 3-6 mark in the midst of a four-game losing streak.

Dowdle had seven rushing attempts as a rookie in 2020, followed by two injury-riddled seasons that kept him off the field. He had 89 rushing attempts for 361 yards and two rushing touchdowns as a backup last season. 

“I definitely say I feel good,” Dowdle said. “I don’t feel good with the record, honestly, but it definitely feels good from from going through all that adversity, to stay in the course, knowing my goals and stuff that I had at hand and wanting to get to this role. Just kept pushing, like I said, all the work and stuff that I did in off season and everything in the training camp, it finally paid off.”

Again, the Cowboys didn’t suddenly come to an epiphany this week.

Dowdle has been the team’s leading rusher all season.

But he has also been carrying the load the last few weeks and the more he’s carried the ball the more productive he and the Cowboys running back has been.

As McCarthy said Dowdle just needs more opportunities.

Dowdle leads the Cowboys in rushing with 374 yards on 83 carries. He’s also caught 24 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns.

Former two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott will be relegated to opportunities when Dowdle gets tired.

He has just 171 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 54 carries, averaging only 3.2 yards per attempt. Former Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook remains on the practice squad. He has played the last two games and has just 20 yards on eight attempts.

Dowdle is averaging an impressive 4.5 yards per carry on the season but his numbers have jumped his last four outings.

He rushed 20 times for 87 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers, 4 for 25 against the Detroit Lions, 12 for 75 against the Atlanta Falcons and 10 for 53 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“We’ve been pretty much kind of trending in that direction,” Dowdle said. “But definitely looking forward and excited. I want the ball in my hands and to show what I can do.”

Dowdle says staying the game and not being taking out has been a key to his success as it allows him to get lathered up and into a rhythm.

The Cowboys have not had running back for over 100 yards since Tony Pollard’s 115-yard rushing performance in an overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers on November 13, 2022.

Ending that streak is Dowdle’s next individual goal. His primary focus is helping the Cowboys break their four-game losing streak, hopefully Monday against the Houston Texans.