Dallas, TX
Why Rico Dowdle’s recent performance may be pricing him out of a return to Dallas
The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2024 season with plenty of uncertainty at the running back position. After losing long-time playmaker Tony Pollard in free agency, the Cowboys needed to find someone to fill the void he left in their offense.
Trying to pick up some of the slack left by Pollard’s departure, the Cowboys brought back veteran Ezekiel Elliott after a year away in New England. There was plenty of doubt about what Elliott had left in the tank entering his ninth season in the league. Elliott’s on-field display this season has proved the pre-season doubters correct as the veteran has averaged a dismal 3.2 Y/A.
It took the Cowboys more than half a season to realize what the rest of the league already knew about Elliott. Once they finally did and stopped giving him significant offensive snaps, it allowed them to unleash the clear best running back on their roster, 26-year-old Rico Dowdle.
In Dallas’ first six games of the season, despite him being the most talented running back on the team, the Cowboys gave Dowdle more than 11 carries in a game just one time. That one game came in Week 5 against Pittsburgh when Dowdle was pivotal to a Cowboys’ victory, carrying the ball 20 times for 87 yards and scoring one of their two offensive touchdowns.
After arguably the best performance of his career, Dallas once again decided to go away from Dowdle as the bell cow back for a few weeks. Finally, all the way in Week 12 against Washington, Mike McCarthy and Dallas’ offensive staff fully committed to Dowdle as their guy for the rest of the season. It’s a move that has looked great over the Cowboys’ past three games.
In those three contests, Dowdle has carried 59 times for 329 yards, averaging an extremely impressive 5.58 Y/A. During this three-game span, the 26-year-old is second in the league in rushing yards, yards after contact, and designated rushing attempts of more than 15 yards. He is also in the top five in first-down runs, missed tackles forced, and explosive runs.
Rico Dowdle looked really good NYG. Tied a career-high with 5 forced missed tackles and a career-high 4 10-plus-yard runs.
His vision, contact balance, tempo and patience were all on point throughout the game. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/xkbE0RXaBO
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) November 29, 2024
It’s been made abundantly clear Dowdle is more than capable of being a lead back for a contending team, and it’s a shame it took Dallas more than half the season to come to this realization. Now that they have and Dowdle’s capability is on full display, he may be playing so well that he’s beginning to price himself out of a return to Dallas.
Dowdle is a free agent at season’s end, and his second-half of the season performance will likely earn him plenty of suitors in free agency. Last offseason four running backs, Tony Pollard, D’Andre Swift, Saquon Barkley, and Josh Jacobs all signed deals totaling $20M or more. While Dowdle is not on the level of those backs in terms of production and longevity, he is certainly showing his ability.
With the lack of talent in next year’s free agency running back class, Dowdle could possibly get something in the neighborhood of the deal Pollard signed with the Titans last spring for three years, $21M. Even if he ends up being offered a little less, it’s hard to see the Cowboys being willing to offer him $5-6M on a multi-year deal to bring him back to Dallas.
Rico Dowdle’s recent performance has been good for Dallas’ team success, but it may end up hurting their chances of retaining him in the future. The Cowboys waited too long to unleash Dowdle, and now they may just be showcasing his ability for his next team.
Dallas, TX
Trade rumors heating up as Dallas Mavericks could make major move after awful start
The Dallas Mavericks are in a tough spot. Through the early stages of the 2025-26 campaign, the Mavericks are a mere 4-12 and have one of the worst records in the NBA.
An unbalanced roster and plenty of injuries are making it more and more likely that the Mavericks won’t be able to dig out of this hole, even if Kyrie Irving is able to return from an ACL injury.
At this point, focusing on the future should be Dallas’s primary objective. The franchise only controls one of its own first-round picks through 2030, and that selection will fall this summer.
READ MORE: Mavericks deliver tough season-ending update on failed Nico Harrison signing
If there’s a path to regaining assets, the Mavericks must explore possibilities, including major moves that would break up the current team.
Trade Rumors Heating Up Around Mavericks’ Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson
It’s no real secret that the Mavericks would part with just about any player on their roster for the right price, including Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson.
According to Dallas Hoops Journal’s Ashish Mathur, Davis and Thompson are aware there’s reportedly “a high chance” the franchise trades them. Both players have been quite disappointing since being acquired by the Mavericks.
Davis was obviously the “crown jewel” in the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s only played in 14 regular-season games since the deal due to a variety of injuries.
So far this year, Davis has appeared in five games, averaging 20.8 points, – tied for the second-lowest mark of his career – 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks. He’s missed the last 11 outings due to bilateral Achilles tendinosis and a calf strain.
Davis is signed through the 2027-28 season and is making north of $54 million this season. The 32-year-old is a 10x NBA All-Star and won a championship with the Lakers in 2020.
Thompson is in the second season of a three-year/$50 million contract, joining the Mavericks via sign-and-trade from the Golden State Warriors in 2024.
The veteran sharpshooter has fallen off a cliff this season. Thompson was removed from the starting lineup earlier this season. He’s averaging a career-low 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. Thompson is only shooting 34.7% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range.
Thompson is a 5x NBA All-Star and he won four titles with the Warriors.
Parting ways with a handful of veterans would give the Mavericks an opportunity to fully focus on building around Cooper Flagg.
READ MORE: NBA expert believes Mavericks’ situation is most ‘dire’ it’s ever been
Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2025-26 season
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Dallas, TX
FC Dallas 2026 Match Schedule: Every Game, Every Date
Major League Soccer today announced FC Dallas’ 34-match schedule for the 2026 MLS regular season. FC Dallas opens its 31st season at Toyota Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 21, against Toronto FC.
Beginning in 2026, all FC Dallas MLS matches will be available to stream for Apple TV subscribers at no additional cost.
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Key items of the schedule
Long road stretch: Dallas will play nine consecutive road matches during Toyota Stadium renovations, the longest stretch in club history. This will kick off before the league’s pause for the 2026 World Cup in May and wrap up at the end of August.
FIFA World Cup break: The league will pause its schedule for the World Cup from May 25 through July 16.
No interrupted playoff schedule: Following Decision Day 2026 on November 7, the league will observe the November FIFA window before beginning one month of uninterrupted 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs action, culminating in 2026 MLS Cup. The complete postseason schedule will be announced at a later date.
First time against Charlotte: While the two clubs met in the 2023 Leagues Cup, FC Dallas will get its first match against Charlotte FC in league play when they visit the Queen City in early October.
Against the East: Including Charlotte and the opener against Toronto, Dallas will also face Nashville SC, D.C. United, the New York Red Bulls, and the Columbus Crew. Dallas last faced Toronto, D.C. United and the Red Bulls in the 2024 regular season and last faced Nashville and Columbus in 2023. Dallas will visit Charlotte FC for the first time.
Copa Tejas: There will be a pretty long stretch between games against the Houston Dynamo in 2026, with the first coming in March and the follow up in Houston in October. On the other hand, Dallas will see Austin twice within a month’s time.
Halloween game: Yes, Dallas will play a game on Halloween night. I believe this could be the first league game for Dallas on Halloween, but don’t hold me to that.
Wednesday night soccer: There will be seven mid-week games in the regular season for FC Dallas in 2026.
Dallas, TX
Dallas Police Association President placed on leave after fatal crash
DALLAS – A Dallas police officer has been placed on administrative leave as the department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates a fatal crash from earlier this year.
An attorney representing the victim’s family says a lack of transparency has only fueled their frustration.
Officer on leave after fatal crash
What we know:
According to Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux, Senior Corporal Jaime Castro was placed on administrative leave last Friday. The department would not provide further details, saying only that the internal investigation remains active and ongoing.
DPA President identified
The backstory:
The case dates back to March 15, when Atianna Washington was struck and killed while crossing the 2500 block of West Northwest Highway. Police said the vehicle involved stopped at the scene.
FOX 4 cameras captured Castro, wearing a white T-shirt, speaking with other officers and shaking hands at the scene that night.
Castro, a 26-year veteran of the department, joined the Dallas Police Department in 1998 and is currently assigned to the Operational Technology and Alarm Unit.
He was elected president of the Dallas Police Association in January after serving on its executive board since 2016.
Questions on driver’s identity
What they’re saying:
Attorney Scott Palmer, who represents Washington’s family, said the family has struggled to get answers from police.
“When there’s an investigation into one of their own, an internal affairs investigation, we typically don’t get a lot of information,” Palmer said. “We don’t get reports, we don’t get body cams. So, it’s frustrating.”
Palmer said questions about who was driving the vehicle that hit Washington have lingered since the night of the crash.
“There’s always been an open question in my client’s mind, and in ours, as to who was driving,” he said. “The crash report says it was the girlfriend,” said Palmer.
Police have not identified Castro’s girlfriend, and no criminal charges have been filed in the case.
Internal investigation status
Dig deeper:
When contacted by FOX 4 on Thursday, Castro’s attorney declined to comment.
Palmer said he believes the internal affairs investigation is now gaining traction but expects the process to move slowly.
“There’s a lot of questions, very few answers,” he said. “She is the victim here. She’s young. She’s no longer able to speak for herself. That’s why the reports and the witness statements are all important. But we have a loss of life here, and this is critical, this is serious.”
What’s next:
Dallas police have not said whether the internal affairs investigation is directly related to the March crash.
FOX 4 has requested body camera video, incident reports, and internal police records connected to the case.
The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office has not yet said whether the case will be presented to a grand jury.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4’s Casey Stegall.
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