Running home: Return specialist Rossum joins hometown Cowboys after release from 49ers

Running home: Rossum signs with Dallas Cowboys

IRVING, Texas — Allen Rossum is going home.

The Dallas native signed with the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, only two days after being released from San Francisco. That surprising move by the 49ers, to make room on their roster for first-round pick Michael Crabtree, provided the chance for Rossum to finally play for his hometown team in his 12th NFL season.

“It’s something I dreamed of as a young kid playing at Skyline High School. This is awesome,” Rossum said before taking part in his first practice with the Cowboys. “I know my mom is smiling. She is excited. I’m excited. My entire family is excited. … I finally got an opportunity to have a star on my helmet.”

The Cowboys expect Rossum to be returning kickoffs and punts when they play their next game Oct. 25 at home against Atlanta, one of his five former teams. He was fielding kicks Wednesday during the short portion of practice open to reporters.

Rossum, 33, is second in NFL history with 14,987 return yards. He has 11,931 kickoff return yards and his 3,056 punt return yards are the most among active players. He is the only player to have a kickoff return for a touchdown with five different teams — Philadelphia, Green Bay, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and San Francisco.

“I have a lot left in the tank. My body hasn’t been beat on,” Rossum said.

Rossum went from Skyline High to Notre Dame. A third-round draft pick by Philadelphia in 1998, he played two seasons for the Eagles before going to Green Bay for two seasons. His longest stint with one team was five seasons in Atlanta (2002-06) before one year in Pittsburgh and then going to San Francisco last year.

His special teams coach in Atlanta was Joe DeCamillis, now in his first season with the Cowboys. Dallas head coach Wade Phillips was the defensive coordinator during Rossum’s first two seasons with the Falcons.

“He’s got some juice and it’s good to see him back,” DeCamillis said. “We just wanted to try to get a difference maker-type guy, which we think he is.”

Rossum set career highs last season by averaging 26.8 yards on kickoff returns and 14.9 per punt return.

The Cowboys had an open roster spot after releasing cornerback Cletis Gordon on Tuesday.

Receiver Patrick Crayton has handled punt returns for Dallas, averaging 8.0 yards on his 10 returns with a long of 27. He fumbled away the ball trying to field a punt last week in an overtime victory at Kansas City, and almost misplayed another. Receiver Miles Austin has returned kickoffs (six for a 24.7-yard average) since running back Felix Jones has been out with a sprained left knee.

DeCamillis said the acquisition of Rossum was not triggered by Crayton’s miscues.

“It’s an upgrade situation, not a reaction to anything that happened on Sunday. Those things are going to happen in games,” the coach said. “It’s an opportunity to get a really good player and a difference maker.”

Rossum played in the first three games this season for San Francisco, but wasn’t active for the last two. He gets extra time to adjust in Dallas because the Cowboys have an open date this weekend.

Rossum said that a “number of teams” contacted him after the 49ers cut him. But the decision to sign with the Cowboys was easy.

“Why not fulfill a dream that you always had,” he said.