What's old is new again as Ezekiel Elliott joins the Patriots.
Elliott, who reportedly signed a one-year deal worth up to $6 million for New England, is going back to his Buckeye roots as he heads northeast.
To that end, Elliott will don the No. 15 he wore in college, rather than the No. 21 he wore for seven years in Dallas.
It's a hard reset of sorts after a trying year for Elliott. He averaged fewer than four yards per carry for the first time in his career in 2022 (3.8 YPC), and he rushed for 876 yards total. While Elliott did have 12 touchdown, the continued emergence of Tony Pollard put Elliott and Dallas in an untenable situation.
During an offseason in which running back contracts were a touchstone issue, Elliott was one of the bigger names on the market alongside longtime Viking Dalvin Cook, who coincidentally also switched to the No. 4 he wore at Florida State just last season.
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Ezekiel Elliott Patriots jersey number
Like Aaron Rodgers before him, Elliott is going back to his college roots after going to the AFC East from an NFC power.
Elliott will wear No. 15 with New England, the number he wore at Ohio State.
1️⃣5️⃣
— Ezekiel Elliott (@EzekielElliott) August 14, 2023
Elliott reposted the Buckeyes celebrating the return to form.
🔙 in 1️⃣5️⃣
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 14, 2023
@EzekielElliott pic.twitter.com/BheyTpTOLT
No. 21 was spoken for on the Patriots roster, with Adrian Phillips having had the number since joining team in 2020. Before playing for the Patriots, Phillips had spent time with the Chargers.
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Ezekiel Elliott college number
Elliott is no stranger to No. 15.
He wore it at Ohio State, where he was a bona-fide superstar. Elliott averaged 6.7 yards per carry with the Buckeyes, rushing for 3,961 yards in just three seasons. He had 43 touchdowns, including 23 in 2015 when he was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.
Elliott left OSU a legend, but he couldn't wear No. 15 out of college. The NFL still had regulations around which positions could wear which numbers in 2016, but 15 was very much on Elliott's mind when he picked No. 21.
Couldn't wear 15 in the NFL but 21 looks like 15 in the mirror 👌🏾
— Ezekiel Elliott (@EzekielElliott) July 1, 2016
In a lot of ways, this will be a return to form for Elliott, who seems ready to go to work with New England.