The Dallas Cowboys have such an incredible offensive line, it’s easy to give them the credit for any success the team has running the ball – and not the running backs.
For former 1,000-yard rusher and current Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle, it’s a level of disrespect he’s turned into pretty potent motivation after Dallas let him walk in free agency following the 2024 season.
ESPN’s Ben Solak put Dowdle at the top of his list of “X-Factors” for NFL teams headed into the 2026 season after he signed a 2-year, $12.25 million free-agent contract with the Steelers on March 9.
Dowdle made the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and played in Dallas for 5 seasons, including his 1st career 1,000-yard rushing season in 2024.
“Over the past two seasons, Dowdle is ninth in yards per rush and 12th in rushing yards per game despite playing in time shares in two offenses (Dallas, Carolina) over the past two years,” Solak wrote on September 4. “Dowdle is a no-nonsense runner (sixth in success rate over the same time frame) who doesn’t necessarily break tackles and create explosives at the rate of an elite back … if Dowdle fills his role well behind this Steelers offensive line, which could be the best he has played behind, Pittsburgh has an avenue to defensive victories thanks to a reliable rushing attack that controls the clock and stays ahead of the sticks.”
Rico Dowdle Chasing NFL History in 2026
Another 1,000-yard season in 2026 would 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.
One record Dowdle would hold by himself with another 1,000-yard season — he’d be the 1st running back in NFL history to run for 1,000 yards in 3 consecutive seasons for 3 different teams.
Epic Revenge Game for Rico Dowdle vs. Cowboys
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 after Dowdle’s record-setting performance.
“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. “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.”
Ex-Cowboys 1,000-Yard RB Called Top ‘X-Factor’ in AFC