Emmitt Smith puts Cowboys on blast following Ezekiel Elliott's release
The Dallas Cowboys legend had a lot to say in a recent post about Ezekiel Elliott’s release from the team.
The Dallas Cowboys made one of the toughest decisions they'll make all year when they released running back Ezekiel Elliott earlier in the week. Although the financial aspect of it called for both parties to part ways, Zeke has been an undeniably special part of the franchise since his arrival in 2016.
And as much sense as it makes, when the move was made official, it still felt somewhat weird, didn't it? Dak Prescott's best buddy is gone and the franchise's third-leading rusher will be playing for another team next year.
To Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith, the move is more "amazing" than anything else.
The Hall of Fame running back left a strongly worded comment beneath the team's official farewell Instagram post that suggested the team had "no love" for Zeke.
You can read the quote below.
"Wow, this is amazing to me – no disrespect to Malik Davis. Our starting running back is gone and his backup has a broken leg? The NFL stands for not for long. Everyone else, go get your money because they have no love for you. It doesn't make sense and this is one of those things that make you shack your head. Thank you, Z for giving everything you have including (playing) injured all of last year. This is why the NFL stands for not the law. Everybody else go get your money because they have no love for you."
There's a lot to unpack here. I'd start by pointing out that calling Zeke the "starting running back" is a little bit of an overstatement. I'm not saying it's wrong because Elliott did start 14 games in 2022.
But for the first time in a long while, Pollard and Elliott got very close to a legitimate 50-50 split. Pollard finished the season with 232 touches to Zeke's 248. Not to mention, he performed significantly better overall.
I say this not to diminish what Zeke did but to shed light on the fact that it's not like the Cowboys are losing a three-down starter that's irreplaceable. The reality is that the move does make sense.
However, Smith does make a good point regarding the question marks around Pollard's leg. The running back suffered a fractured left fibula and whether or not he'll look the same remains to be seen.
But mostly, Emmitt's message is a reminder of how cold the NFL world is. Never mind that Zeke was a true leader in the locker room that set the tone every single day. If the financials and the production don't match up, you're gone.
"Everybody else go get your money because they have no love for you," wrote Emmitt.
Perhaps it's something to keep in mind when we complain about players trying to get paid every offseason.
