One of the recent Clemson Tigers who has made waves in the backfield will have an uphill battle to get back into the NFL next season.
Second-year running back Phil Mafah was waived by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, missing out on the 53-man roster after being drafted by the franchise at the end of last year's draft.It comes after the NFL preseason concluded this past weekend.
Before he was carving out an NFL career, Mafah was one of Clemson's best running backs of the 2020s. In his first two seasons, he saw limited touches while complementing another standout Tiger tailback, Will Shipley . By the 2024 season, he was Clemson's main player in the backfield and finished in the program's top-10 in rushing yards in its history.
The Loganville, Georgia, native had a breakout year in 2023, finishing with 965 yards and 13 touchdowns. Combining with Shipley, the duo was able to record 750 yards each on the ground. Only six other duos have been able to do that for the Tigers in program history .
When Shipley left for the NFL Draft in 2024, Mafah became the main bell-cow for the program, being a critical contributor for Clemson during its College Football Playoff run that featured an ACC Championship. The running back finished with 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns while boasting six games of 100 or more rushing yards.
After picking up a third-team All-ACC honor in his final season, Mafah decided to go to the NFL to follow his dream. He was eventually selected by Dallas in the seventh round with the 239th pick in the draft.
The former Tiger had to fend off the likes of Javonte Williams , Malik Davis and fellow rookie Jaydon Blue , but Mafah recorded a touchdown in the Cowboys' final game of the season against the New York Giants . Similarly, during this preseason, he scored a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals.
However, he suffered a chest injury against the Seattle Seahawks, which helped lead to his being waived from the team.
Now, the Clemson alum will look to carve out an NFL career coming off the practice squad, but getting healthy first will be Mafah's main concern. Perhaps another opportunity will come up for the second-year NFL player that will see him in the backfield once again in weeks to come.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/clemson as Former Clemson Running Back Waived By Dallas Cowboys .
