The Dallas Cowboys didn’t put much thought into bringing back running back Rico Dowdle after he rushed for 1,000 yards in 2024 while playing on a 1-year, $1.255 million contract.
The Cowboys let Dowdle leave for the Carolina Panthers on a relatively paltry 1-year, $2.75 million contract, and he rushed for over 1,000 yards once again.
The Panthers thought similarly to the Cowboys and didn’t make a real attempt to bring back Dowdle, who left for the Pittsburgh Steelers and a 2-year, $12.25 million contract.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport singled Dowdle out as the NFL’s best bargain in 2026, pointing out the disrespect he’s endured as a motivating factor.
“Rico Dowdle is the Rodney Dangerfield of running backs — the man just can’t get no respect,” Davenport wrote on July 4. “Despite topping 1,000 yards on the ground each of the past two years, Dowdle doesn’t get a lot of run when folks talk bout running backs. But the Steelers must have seen something they liked, giving the 28-year-old a two-year, $12.25 million contract in free agency. Two years ago, Dowdle rushed for a career-high 1,079 yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry while playing under new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy (in Dallas … that’s going to happen again in the Steel City — making Dowdle one of this year’s biggest values in the backfield. Maybe then he’ll finally get some respect.”
Another 1,000-yard season in 2026 would also put Dowdle in rare company in terms of NFL history. It would make him just the 3rd running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season for 3 different teams, joining Ricky Watters and Willis McGahee.
More importantly, it would make him the 1st running back in NFL history to run for 1,000 yards in 3 consecutive seasons for 3 different teams.
Rico Dowdle Torched Cowboys in Revenge Game
The Cowboys were on the receiving end of one of the great called shots in recent NFL history in Week 6 when they faced Dowdle and the Panthers.
After telling the Cowboys to “buckle up” before the game, Dowdle put up 239 yards from scrimmage — the franchise record — in a 30-27 Panthers win. He did so while his replacement, Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, had his worst game of the season with 13 carries for 29 yards.
“I didn’t know Emmitt Smith was going to show up in a Panthers uniform (against the Cowboys),” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on “First Take” on October 13 following Dowdle’s record-setting performance.
Rico Dowdle’s Performance Set Social Media Ablaze
“The Revenge of Rico Dowdle” was a hot topic following his breakout performance.
“That wasn’t Rico Dowdle out there,” former NFL MVP and ESPN commentator Cam Newton said on October 13. “That man said ‘tell them to buckle up’ then went out and did the damn thing. That wasn’t Rico Dowdle out there … that was Rico Suave out there.”
Dowdle had an incredible 473 yards from scrimmage in 2 games following the win over the Cowboys, becoming just the seventh NFL player since 1970 to have over 225 yards from scrimmage in 2 consecutive games.
“Rico Dowdle has more yards from scrimmage in his last 2 games (473) than Saquon Barkley has all season (462),” NFL on CBS wrote on its official X account.
“We’ve been saying he was a dog … today he was a horse,” former Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart said. “Is he the best running back in the league right now? Because he’s sure playing like it.”
“Major respect to Rico Dowdle these past 2 weeks and congratulations on the franchise record of the most scrimmage yards in a single game of 239 yards,” former NFL running back and 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley wrote on his official X account.
“Rico Dowdle‘s 239 scrimmage yards vs the Cowboys are the most scrimmage yards in a game against a former team in NFL history,” NFL Plus wrote on its official X account.
“All Rico needed was an opportunity and his number 5 back, and we get historical stats like this,” ESPN’s Kev Roche wrote on X. “Googled most popular TV shows in 1970: we’re talking Gunsmoke and Bonanza, that’s how long ago. Rico Dowdle: doing things not seen since the Ponderosa.”
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