Tony Pollard Talks Dallas Cowboys’ Hot Start To The Season And His New Chili’s Partnership

Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard is keeping very active these days.

The fifth-year running back is going through his first season as the Cowboys’ starting running back and is carrying the load — literally. After playing a complementary role for much of his first four seasons with Ezekiel Elliott, the 26-year-old leads the NFL in touches (48) through the first two games of the season, including a career-high 32-touch — and career-high 25-carry — performance in a 30-10 win over the New York Jets in Week 2.

Pollard’s production as the main back in Dallas is a large reason why the Cowboys are 2-0 to start the season, outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 70-10. But the Pro Bowl playmaker isn’t surprised at all by his team’s dominant start to the season.

“No, it didn’t surprise me,” says Pollard. “I mean, with the way that we prepare and what we put into each week, each week of preparation going into the game, you kinda fall back on your training. And when you put the work in and you kind of say, ‘we’re confident.’”

Despite Pollard’s heavy workload to begin the season, head coach Mike McCarthy isn’t concerned at all when it comes to leaning on the 6-foot, 209-pound back, saying that he’s “built for it.”

Pollard agrees with that sentiment, saying he’s ready for whatever workload Dallas gives him and that he’s also not surprised that he’s seen as many touches as he has.

“It doesn’t really surprise me,” Pollard says. “Everything that I was showing the coaches, lets them know that whatever workload they have for me, I can handle it. I’m just looking forward to what the season brings.”

His heavy usage — Pollard has 48 touches compared to 26 overall for the Cowboys’ other running backs — comes shortly after Pollard suffered a broken fibula injury last January during the playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers. However, Pollard stresses that he’s 100% and that the previous injury has had no impact on his game.

“Yeah, I’m good,” says Pollard. “I feel 100%.”

Outside of his impact on the field, Pollard is making some noise off of it. That’s because Dallas’ new franchise back is partnering with Chili’s for a a BOGO boneless wings promotion on Monday nights that can see fans win their own wing-sauce stained jersey from Pollard himself.

“I recently partnered with Chili’s to promote buy one, get one for boneless wings starting Monday, September 25,” explains Pollard. “Fans can enter to win one of the jerseys I wore while filming my Chili’s commercials and free boneless buy one, get one (free) every Monday during the season.”

Pollard explains how you can get your hands on this exclusive wing-stained jersey.

Starting on Sept. 25, fans can win wing-worn jerseys from Pollard. Fans can enter the contest to win a Pollard wing-worn jersey by sharing a picture on X — formerly known as Twitter — eating the BOGO boneless wings at Chili’s and using the hashtag #ChilisWingWornJersey and tagging @chilis.

The giveaway will run for four weeks, with winners being decided by Monday, October 16.

While Pollard is handling a heavy workload for Dallas, his appetite for wings reaches more of a normal level, saying he ate about 10 boneless wings when he was wearing his sauce-stained jersey.

“I probably ate about a 10-piece, nothing crazy,” says Pollard while laughing.

When Pollard isn’t eating wings, he’s obviously focused on leading Dallas to greater heights. Although the season is young, the 2023 Cowboys may be the best team Pollard has played on since arriving in Dallas as a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

“We’re pretty confident as a group, all around,” says Pollard. “We feel like we’re stacked at every position. We have guys that can come in behind starters and make plays and feel like there isn’t going to be much of a dip in production. So you could definitely say that (the Cowboys being the best team he’s played on).”

As the Cowboys prepare to battle teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers for supremacy in the NFC, Pollard feels like Dallas matches up better with the two powerhouses — and everyone else — this season. The Cowboys went 1-1 against the Eagles last season and lost to the Niners in the playoffs in the playoffs for the second straight year last season.

“I feel like we will match up better with everyone this season,” says Pollard. “I feel like we’re a better team. Communication is better. The attention to detail is better. “I feel like it’ll be a different go-around for everybody.”

As far as expectations for the Cowboys is concerned, Pollard isn’t making any bold claims — he just wants to take it week-by-week with a victory.

“We’re just trying to go 1-0 every week,” says Pollard.