Tony Pollard

PRO: The Dallas Cowboys drafted running back Tony Pollard in the fourth round (128th overall) of the NFL Draft to be a complement to Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield and provide an electric weapon to the offensive arsenal. As a rookie, Pollard showed flashes of why the Cowboys drafted him, recording two 100-yard outings while also
proving true as a reliable receiver out of the backfield. He finished his rookie season averaging 5.3 yards-per rush (86 for 455 yards) with two scores and caught 15 passes for 107 yards with a touchdown. He also showed skills as a kickoff returner, taking back 14 kicks for 245 yards. Entrenched as the backup to Elliott, Pollard improved upon his rookie numbers in 2020, rushing 101 times for 435 yards (4.3) with four touchdowns, catching 28 passes for 193 yards with one score and placed fourth in the NFL with 766 kickoff return yards on 32 returns (23.9), playing in all 16 games with his first two starts. Pollard's 2021 campaign was an improvement on the previous two as he continued to display his versatility, rushing for 719 yards and two touchdowns on 130 carries to average a career-high 5.5 yardsper- clip - good for third in a single-season in club history. He also had 39 catches and 337 yards, while he registered his first career kickoff return touchdown, returning 17 for 489 yards with a 100-yarder on the year. Pollard's fourth season was his best to date, as he set career-highs in carries (193), rushing scores (nine) total touchdowns (12), receiving yards (371), and earned his first 1,000-yard season, leading the team with a career-best 1,007 rushing yards to earn his first Pro Bowl bid. Dallas used the franchise tag on Pollard heading into the 2023 season, and after the departure of longtime workhorse Ezekiel Elliott, Pollard will carry the load as the primary back for the Cowboys.

TRANSACTIONS:
3/23/23: Signed a one-year contract with a franchise player tag.
4/26/19: Drafted in the fourth round (128th overall) by Dallas.

SEASON RECAPS:
2023:
In his first season as the lead running back in 2023, started all 17 games for the first time of his career to lead the team with 1,005 rushing yards on a career-high 252 carries (4.0 avg.) and six touch- downs. Also finished third on the offense with a career-best 55 receptions for 311 yards (fifth). Combined with his 1,007 rushing yards in 2022, became the sixth running back in team history to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, joining Calvin Hill, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, DeMarco Murray and Ezekiel Elliott. 
• Served as the offensive captain in Week 1. at N.Y. Giants (9/10) Opened the season as the starting running back and rushed for 70 yards on 14 carries (5.0 avg.) and totaled two touchdowns on the ground, his fourth career game with multiple rushing touchdowns. Also became the 10th player in team history to rush for multiple touchdowns in a season opener, and the first since Marion Barber in 2008 (at Cleveland, 9/7). 
• vs. N.Y. Jets (9/17) Tallied a career-high 25 carries for 72 yards and caught seven passes for 37 yards for a career-high 32 total touches. 
• Became the first Cowboys running back to carry the ball 25 times in a game since Elliott had 28 rushes at the N.Y. Jets (10/13/19). Totaled 109 scrimmage yards, his 13th career game with 100 scrimmage yards. 
• at Arizona (9/24) Carried the ball 23 times for a season-best 122 yards (5.3 avg.) - third-most rushing yards in a game of his career. It also marked his seventh career 100-yard rushing game and his first since he had 115 yards. 
• at Green Bay (11/13/22). Part of a rushing attack that accumulated a season-high 185 rushing yards and 12 rushing first downs - tied for the most rushing first downs in a game since Head Coach Mike McCarthy arrived in 2020 - against Carolina (10/3/21) and at Minnesota (11/20/22). Also had three receptions for -1 yard to tally 121 scrimmage yards, his 14th career game with 100 scrimmage yards. 
• vs. New England (10/1) Added 47 yards on 11 rushes and 13 yards on three catches. at San Francisco (10/8) Rushed eight times for 29 yards and caught four passes for 35 yards, including a season-long catch of 26 yards. at LA Chargers (10/16) Finished with 110 scrimmage yards (30 rushing; 80 receiving), his third game this season - 15th of his career - with 100-plus scrimmage yards. Had a 60-yard reception - second-longest catch of his career - as part of his six receptions (tied the third-most in his career) for 80 receiving yards (second). 
• vs. LA Rams (10/29) Tallied 53 yards on 12 rushes and two yards on one reception. Became the 12th player in franchise history to reach 3,000 career rushing yards (3,039). 
• at Philadelphia (11/5) Ran 12 times for 51 yards and caught three passes for 12 yards. 
• vs. N.Y. Giants (11/12) Totaled 55 yards on 15 carries. Part of an offense that produced two rushers over 50 rushing yards (Pollard - 55; Rico Dowdle - 79) and multiple receivers over 150 receiving yards (Brandin Cooks - 173; CeeDee Lamb - 151) for the first time in franchise history. 
• at Carolina (11/19) Had 12 carries for 61 yards (5.1 avg.) with a touchdown, his third touchdown in 2023 and 20th career rushing score. Averaged 5.1 yards-per-carry. 
• vs. Washington (11/23) Recorded 13 carries for 79 yards (6.1 avg.) and a touchdown while catching six passes for 24 yards, his fourth game with 100 scrimmage yards in 2023 and 16th of his career. His 6.1 yards-per-carry were a season-high and his most since a 7.6 rushing average against Indianapolis (12/4) in 2022. 
• vs. Seattle (11/30) Had 20 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown. Marked this third consecutive game with a rushing touchdown in, a career-long touchdown streak. 
• vs. Philadelphia (12/10) Totaled 59 rushing yards and seven receptions for 37 receiving yards, giving him 96 scrimmage yards. His seven receptions tied a career-best that he set against the N.Y. Jets in Week 2 (9/17). 
• at Buffalo (12/17) Registered 52 rushing yards on 11 carries (4.7 avg.) and two receptions for five yards. Has recorded at least 50 scrimmage yards in all 14 games this season, joining Christian McCaffrey as the only two players in the NFL in 2023 with at least 50 scrimmage yards in every game at that point. Became the 10th running back - 18th instance - in franchise history to top 50 receptions (51) in a single season. 
• at Miami (12/24) Ran 12 times for 38 yards and caught one pass for five yards. vs. Detroit (12/30) Rushed 16 times for 49 yards and caught one pass for no gain. at Washington (1/7/24) Finished with 17 carries for 70 yards and a score, adding two catches for 16 yards. Eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards on the season (1,005) to become the sixth running back in team his- tory to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, joining Calvin Hill, Dor- sett, Emmitt Smith, Murray and Elliott. His 55 catches are the 10thmost by a Cowboys running back in a single season, and he became the 10th running back in team history to top 175 career receptions. 
• vs. Green Bay (1/14/24) Made his first career postseason start in the Wild Card Playoff Game and rushed 15 times for 56 yards and a touchdown while catching seven passes for 29 yards. His seven receptions tied for the second-most by a running back in a post- season game in team history.

2022:
• Set the tone for the Dallas rushing attack, toting the rock 193 times for 1,007 yards - his first career 1,000-yard season - and nine scores, averaging 5.2 yards-per-carry to rank third in the NFL and earn his first Pro Bowl nod.
• Also caught a career-high tying 39 passes for a career-best 371 yards and three scores. Combining his rushing and receiving average, he led the NFL with 5.94 yards-per-touch.
• Led the team with 105 yards (8.1 avg.) on 13 carries at the N.Y. Giants (9/26).
• Provided 86 yards on eight carries with a 57-yard rushing score at the LA Rams (10/9) - the second-longest rushing score of his career.
• Hauled the ball 14 times for 131 yards and a career-best three rushing scores against Chicago (10/30) – the first Cowboy with three rushing scores since Dak Prescott had three at Atlanta (9/20/20).
• Toted the rock a career-high 22 times for 115 yards and a score at Green Bay (11/13), topping 3,000 career scrimmage yards in the process.
• Named a team captain and finished with a career-high 189 scrimmage yards (109 receiving; 80 rushing) and two receiving scores at Minnesota (11/20). Became the fourth NFL player since 1990 with at least 75 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a game, joining Joey Galloway, Todd Gurley and LaDainian Tomlinson.
• Led the offense with 19 carries for 75 yards and caught four passes for 31 yards at Jacksonville (12/14) – his seventh game with 100 scrimmage yards.
• Was Inactive/Injured (thigh) at Tennessee (12/29), then rushed seven times for 19 yards at Washington (1/8/23) to surpass 1,000 yards on the ground for the first time in his career.
• Led all rushers with 77 yards on 15 carries in the Wild Card Game at Tampa Bay (1/26/23), then had 22 yards on 11 carries in the Divisional Round at San Francisco (1/22/23) before an ankle injury ended his postseason.

2021:
• Rushed for 719 yards and two touchdowns on 130 carries (5.5 avg.) and caught 39 passes for 337 yards in 15 games played as a reserve running back.
• Also recorded 17 kick returns for 481 yards (28.8) and his first career score while tying for second on the team with five special teams tackles.
• Had 109 yards and a score on 13 carries and caught three balls for 31 yards in the win at the LA Chargers (9/19).
• Had 14 carries for 75 yards as he teamed with Elliott to give Dallas 200 total rushing yards for the second consecutive game in the win over the N.Y. Giants (10/10).
• Selected as the special teams captain at Minnesota (10/31) and rushed for 26 yards on seven carries, caught one pass for one yard, returned one kickoff 22 yards and had one stop on special teams.
• Had his first career kick return for a touchdown, taking one 100 yards and finishing the Thanksgiving Day game against Las Vegas (11/25) with three returns for 129 yards, 10 rushes for 36 yards, four receptions for 32 yards and two special teams tackles.
• Had a career-long 58-yard scoring jaunt, finishing at New Orleans (12/2) with 71 yards on seven carries, catching two passes for three yards and returning one kick 22.
• At the N.Y. Giants (12/19) led the team with 74 yards on 12 runs and caught three passes for 13 yards, then was the offensive captain against Washington (12/26).
• With nine rushing yards and 49 receiving yards against Arizona (1/2/22), topped 1,000 scrimmage yards on the season - his first career 1,000 scrimmage yard season.

2020:
• Played in all 16 games, starting the first two games of his career, and rushed for 435 yards and four touchdowns on 101 carries while catching 28 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown.
• Was fourth in the NFL with 766 kickoff return yards and tied for second with 32 returns.
• Twice selected as a team captain - once on offense and once on special teams.
• Logged his first career start as Dallas opened against Atlanta (9/20) with two running backs. Topped 100 kickoff return yards for the first time in his career.
• Notched a season-long kickoff return of 67 yards at Washington (10/15).
• Selected as a team captain for the game at Philadelphia (11/1) and rushed seven times for 40 yards, caught two passes for 24 and returned three kicks for 49.
• Selected as the special teams captain for Week 11 at Minnesota (11/22) and rushed five times for 60 yards with a 42-yard touchdown.
• Went for a season-high 126 kickoff return yards at Baltimore (12/8).

2019:
• Served as the primary backup to Elliott and played in 15 games, rushing 86 times for 455 yards (5.3) with two touchdowns. Added 15 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown and returned 14 kickoffs 245 yards.
• Made his NFL debut in the opener against the N.Y. Giants (9/8) and had 24 yards on 13 carries, then had his first career catch the next week for three yards at Washington (9/15).
• Tallied his first career 100-yard outing and touchdown, finishing the game against Miami (9/22) with 103 yards
and the touchdown. Teamed with Elliott (125) to mark the fourth time in franchise history the Cowboys had a pair of 100-yard rushers in the same game.
• Had his first career receiving touchdown at Detroit (11/17). Along with Elliott's receiving score, it marked the first time since 2001 Dallas had two running backs each with a receiving touchdown.
• Had a season-high 131 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown and a season-long of 44 yards against the LA Rams (12/15). With Elliott's 117 yards, it was the second time on the season Dallas had two rushers top 100 yards in the same game - the first time it has happened multiple times in a season and fifth time overall. The last NFL team with two rushers topping 100 yards each in a game multiple times in a season was Houston in 2011.

COLLEGE:
• Set career-bests with 78 rush attempts for 552 yards and six touchdowns, adding 39 catches for 458 yards and three touchdowns through the air as a junior.
• Named first-team All-America by Walter Camp and Football Writers of America after leading the nation in kick return average (40.0) and tied for the lead with four kick return touchdowns. Played in all 13 games and finished with 1,649 all-purpose yards (fourth-most in school history), recording 36 catches for 536 yards, 230 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns.
• Played in all 13 games with seven starts as a redshirt freshman, ranking among FBS leaders in kick return yards (1,068, second) and touchdowns (two, second).
• Finished third on the team with 29 catches for 298 yards and two touchdowns, adding 159 yards on the ground.
• Redshirted as a true freshman in 2015.

PERSONAL:
• Was a two-way all-district selection at both wide receiver and defensive back at Melrose High School in Memphis,
Tenn., registering over 1,200 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns a senior in 2014.
• Earned his degree in sport and leisure management at Memphis.