Like all great Will They/Won't They stories, from Ross and Rachel to Luke and Lorelai, this one ended with: They will.

The Dallas Cowboys have designated veteran running back Dalvin Cook from the practice squad, the team announced Saturday. He makes his debut Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, where he will look to improve the Cowboys' ground game, which is currently averaging the fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL.

Head coach Mike McCarthy said Friday: “Dalvin is ready,” noting his communication and understanding are at the level he needs to be fit in games.

Currently, Rico Dowdle is the running back, supported by Ezekiel Elliott and Deuce Vaughn. However, the Cowboys can't afford to have two running backs, in this case Elliott and Cook, on the game day roster and not play special teams, meaning the long-time Cowboys may be inactive.

The Cowboys signed Cook as a free agent in August, and he was reportedly in play as a running back option after this year's draft before Dallas decided to bring back Elliott.

In six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Cook made the Pro Bowl four times after being drafted in 2017. He then moved to the Jets for one season, backing up Breece Hall, before joining the Ravens' practice squad in early 2024, where he was eventually promoted to play in Baltimore's divisional round win over the Texans.

This story has been updated to reflect the Cowboys' official announcement of this move.

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