Phil Mafah’s time with the Dallas Cowboys appears to be coming to an end.
Dallas is waiving the former Clemson running back as the organization works toward the NFL’s 53-man roster limit, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Teams must complete their final cuts by 6 p.m.
Mafah entered the league as a seventh-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, with the Cowboys taking him at No. 239 overall. His rookie season never had much of a chance to get going after a shoulder injury landed him on injured reserve.
He eventually returned late in the year and made his NFL debut in Dallas’ regular-season finale against the New York Giants. Mafah carried five times for 18 yards and punched in a 1-yard touchdown during the fourth quarter.
The former Tiger was back
competing for a roster spot this summer and showed some production when given opportunities. Mafah totaled 61 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries during the 2026 preseason, averaging 4.7 yards per attempt.
Clemson fans became familiar with Mafah’s physical running style long before his NFL opportunity arrived.
He took over as the Tigers’ primary back in 2024 and finished the season with 1,115 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 216 attempts. Mafah also contributed 21 receptions for 103 yards and earned third-team All-ACC honors.
Those numbers came despite a shoulder issue that bothered him throughout the season. Mafah had already accumulated 981 rushing yards through Clemson’s first nine games before the injury increasingly limited his effectiveness late in the year.
His final season gave Clemson its 24th 1,000-yard rushing campaign and placed him 14th on the program’s single-season rushing list.
Former Clemson LB waived shortly after signing with Jacksonville Jaguars
— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) August 31, 2026
📸 Melina Myers, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect https://t.co/BIEtlDBt9R pic.twitter.com/aRSkBAkUTj
Across four seasons with the Tigers, Mafah appeared in 50 games and made 21 starts. He finished with 2,887 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns while adding 309 receiving yards on 58 catches.
Those totals left Mafah ninth in Clemson history in rushing yards and tied for 10th in rushing touchdowns.
Now waived by Dallas, Mafah will have an opportunity to be claimed by another NFL team as clubs finalize their rosters for the 2026 season.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Former Clemson star running back waived by the Dallas Cowboys
