Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy details his excitement talking about Ezekiel Elliott

On Friday, head coach Mike McCarthy didn't hide his excitement about having Ezekiel Elliott back at training camp in a Dallas Cowboys uniform.

Elliott spent the first seven years of his career with the Cowboys before leaving for New England last season and returning to The Star in April on a one-year deal.

Zeke rejoins the Cowboys following a year that showed he has plenty of left in tank after rushing for 642 yards and three touchdowns for the Patriots in 2023.

His workload for his second go around with the Cowboys won't be as hefty he last remembers since McCarthy plans to take the "back-by-committee" approach, which means Zeke will share backfield carries with Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn.

Still, his return is something for McCarthy and Cowboys fans to smile about.

"Zeke's always been a super bright football player," McCarthy said. "We all understand his physical talents and the production; the guy's been a workhorse for the majority of his career. But it's been cool to watch him dive into the new protection scheme and the nuances of our offense that are totally different for him prior to when he went up to New England."

Aside from bringing his talents back to Dallas, Elliott has also brought back some extra knowledge from his time up north.

And that's perhaps McCarthy's favorite part of Zeke's return because of his locker room presence and constant willingness to always answer questions with examples, which is a big help for the rookies.

"I love it when our vets give those types of answers to the young guys," McCarthy said.  "Just great to have him in the room and I think, frankly, for all the things he's accomplished in this league, I think one of his best assets is he's a great teammate. I mean his love for the locker room and for his fellow man is infectious. So, it's great to have him back."

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