Dowdle gets revenge in win vs. Cowboys: 'They wasn't buckled up'
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle addressed his spectacular performance against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday with a viral quote after his actions matched his words versus his former team.
"They wasn't buckled up," Dowdle said after Carolina's 30-27 victory over Dallas.
#Panthers RB Rico Dowdle on his former #Cowboys team after posting 239 yards:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 12, 2025
“They wasn’t buckled up.” pic.twitter.com/TurWOULUaU
Dowdle's remarks come days after he sent a warning shot to the Cowboys, saying they needed to "buckle up" for the matchup.
Dowdle carried the ball 30 times for 183 yards Sunday. He also caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown to set a Panthers single-game record for scrimmage yards (239) and become the first NFL player since 2020 to have at least 200 yards from scrimmage in consecutive games.
"Violence, super explosive," Panthers quarterback Bryce Young said of Dowdle's playing style, according to ESPN's David Newton.
Dowdle, whose workload increased after Carolina lost Chuba Hubbard to an injury, racked up 234 scrimmage yards and a TD in last week's win over the Miami Dolphins.
The 27-year-old spent five years with the Cowboys after joining as an undrafted rookie in 2020. He signed a one-year deal with the Panthers in March.