FRISCO, Texas – The time was New Year's Day in 2015. The fourth ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, benefactors of the brand new four-team playoff, had a mountain to climb as they faced No. 1 Alabama in New Orleans. Both teams had the same goal - take the Sugar Bowl title and punch their ticket to AT&T Stadium for the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship.
Who helped conquer that mountain for the Buckeyes? Ezekiel Elliott.
His 230 rushing yards and two touchdowns carried Ohio State to a wild 42-35 win over Nick Saban and his talented stable of running backs, which included a sophomore sensation named Derrick Henry, who eventually went on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2015 for Alabama.
Yet, it was Elliott that was selected in the Top 5 of the 2016 NFL Draft, while Henry fell to the second round and was finally selected 45th by Tennessee.
Fast forward to Sunday. Two running backs who have had their careers intertwined since that first meeting in 2015, will meet again. This time, on the back-half of tremendous NFL careers that helped define a generation of running backs.
"He's a physical specimen," Elliott said. "I mean he's six-four. I remember when I first saw him, it was the Nike Opening. I'm like, man, that guy's huge! I asked someone, who's that? He was like, oh yeah, it's Derrick Henry. He plays running back. I'm like, no, that's the defensive end. That's no running back."
Henry's size has certainly turned heads throughout the years, but it's also allowed him to remain healthy for most of his career. While also putting up some eye-popping numbers, just like Ezekiel Elliott.
"He's just a freak athlete and for him to be that size and be able to run the ball that well and have such great vision. I mean he's truly elite," Elliott said. "Even in high school, I think he jumped 40 inches at the Nike Combine and ran 4.5 and standing at 6-4, 240."
Even with all the success and all the durability, playing the running back position eventually takes its toll on everyone. Including the two tailbacks that'll see each other again on Sunday.
Dallas has struggled to run the football effectively and Elliott's reunion with the Cowboys this offseason was hoped to be the fix. Henry signed with the Ravens after Baltimore led the league in rushing yards per game last season, hoping to add another element alongside Lamar Jackson.
Elliott enters this week, just 40 rushing yards away from hitting the 9,000-yard milestone, one that Derrick Henry achieved in Week 7 of 2023. Zeke would be the 40th player to do so, as both players lead all active players in career rushing yards.
"Just like any milestone, that feels good," Elliott said. "Feels just blessed, blessed to be able to be around for so long and playing at a high level."
If this is in fact, the final time Zeke and King Henry face off, we should all feel blessed to watch two of the game's best battle it out one more time.
