Panthers running back Rico Dowdle promised that he would have a big game on Sunday against his former team. On the field against the Cowboys, he delivered.
Dowdle went off for a preposterous 239 total yards, setting a Panthers team record and becoming just the seventh player in NFL history to put up at least 230 scrimmage yards in back-to-back games, per ESPN. Carolina would take the win, 30–27.
Rico Dowdle REVENGE GAME TUDDY!
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 12, 2025
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/UWKyfqOgm7
Ahead of the game, Dowdle made a vow for revenge against the Cowboys, who did not re-sign him in the offseason.
"They got to buckle up," Dowdle said, via ESPN. "I think they know for sure. They didn't keep me there for five years for no reason."
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer seemed to laugh off Dowdle’s admittedly light-hearted threat.
"We're gonna bring our seatbelts, Rico," Schotty told reporters, in a laugh-garnering moment. "We'll buckle up. I can't wait to see him, though."
After his huge performance on Sunday, Dowdle got the last laugh.
“They wasn’t buckled up,” Dowdle told reporters after the win.
Gotta buckle up for @ricodowdle 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/9uTvqVORNm
— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025
Let this be a lesson to any NFL players with a game coming up against their former team—if there’s a back-and-forth of somewhat corny jokes before kickoff, it is always best to be the guy that leaves with a win.
Next up for the Panthers is a trip to New York, where the Jets will, hopefully, be buckled up.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rico Dowdle Had Perfect Four-Word Message for Cowboys After Big Win.
