There are many unknowns regarding the New England Patriots heading into Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach. But one thing that Patriots fans can count on is their running game.The Patriots were in the middle of the pack last season with 115.8 rushing yards per game and the group often found trouble gaining traction behind the duo of Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson.
Vrabel’s arrival should help as his rushing offense ranked in the top 10 four times in his six years as head coach of the Tennessee Titans. The Patriots also selected Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of last month’s draft to give them some big play ability.
While the direction of the Patriots’ ground game is exciting, not everybody can be involved. That includes a former Patriots running back that’s running out of options to return to the NFL after a signing announced on Monday morning.
Former Patriots RB Ezekiel Elliott is Running Out of Options After Trey Sermon Signs With Steelers
According to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, the Pittsburgh Steelers are signing Trey Sermon to a one-year deal. Sermon wasn’t in the mix to head to New England after running for 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns in two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. But his arrival in Pittsburgh is more bad news for former Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott.
Sources: The #Steelers are signing RB Trey Sermon to a 1-year deal.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 11, 2025
Sermon spent the past two seasons with the #Colts, totaling 258 yards and 2 TDs last year. pic.twitter.com/p5i3Nsw6HA
Elliott came to New England after a highly-regarded tenure with the Dallas Cowboys where he ran for 8,488 yards and 71 touchdowns over eight seasons. But like most aging running backs, Elliott wasn’t the same player when he suited up for the Patriots in 2023, running 184 times for 642 yards and three touchdowns,
The lack of production made his stay in New England a short one and Elliott returned to the Cowboys on a one-year, $2 million last offseason. But the fountain of youth wasn’t in Dallas either as Elliott ran 74 times for 226 yards and three touchdowns.
Another season with the Cowboys is likely out of the question after Dallas added Javontae Williams and Miles Sanders in free agency and Jadon Blue in the fifth round of the draft. Elliott’s ability is declining too as he’s far from the runner who carried the ball over 200 times in each of his first eight seasons.
If Elliott wants to play in his age-30 season, it could be in an emergency role if a team suffers an injury. That strategy worked for Kareem Hunt, who led the Kansas City Chiefs’ backfield last season after Isiah Pacheco suffered a broken leg, but it would also require some patience from Elliott.
Either way, it looks like the odds of Elliott finding a job before the season have drastically diminished and the former Patriot will be waiting for the phone to ring.