Rico Dowdle laid down the gauntlet to his former team before their Week 6 showdown. The Carolina Panthers running back wasn't just talk — he meant every word with another dominant display to overwhelm the Dallas Cowboys completely.
Dowdle got the start again with Chuba Hubbard missing the game. He wasn't lacking in motivation, as the Cowboys didn't offer him another deal in free agency, despite his going over 1,000 rushing yards last season. The Panthers picked him up on a bargain one-year deal when general manager Dan Morgan thought he'd be priced out, and his two performances as the No. 1 option over the last fortnight have provided a significant return on this investment.
After going over 200 rushing yards against the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, the former South Carolina standout did the same versus his old employers, gaining 183 yards on the ground from 30 touchdowns, together with four catches for 56 receiving yards and a score.
Rico Dowdle gets revenge on the Cowboys to spearhead Carolina Panthers win
He also made Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones pay instantly for his pre-game jibe.
Jones spoke to the media about Dowdle's 'buckle up' comment during the week. The billionaire jokingly claimed that the Cowboys were shaking in their boots, barely able to come out of the locker room in fear.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked by @KristiCowboy on @1053thefan about Rico Dowdle's "buckle up" comments. Jones joked: "I can't even get our guys to come to the field they're shaking so bad."
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) October 12, 2025
He was clearly kidding. But as it turned out, Jones wasn't too far off.
The Cowboys had no answer for Dowdle. He ran all over Dallas' league-worst rush defense. Whether it was plowing between the tackles or hitting the edge, the free-agent acquisition got whatever he wanted. And the Panthers managed to pull out a last-second win thanks to another impressive game-winning drive from quarterback Bryce Young.
Dowdle was the star of the show. And although he would never admit it, Jones was probably watching from his lavish suite, wondering why he didn't have the conviction to give the backfield force the money he was looking for.
Revenge is a dish best served cold. Dowdle gave the Cowboys a warning of what was coming way ahead of time. The only difference was that he backed up his big talk while the team that used to cut his checks crumbled at Bank of America Stadium.
That's got to be a satisfying feeling. Hopefully, it can propel Dowdle to even greater heights moving forward.