Cowboys: Jerry Jones hints at Ezekiel Elliott-related 'surprise'
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dropped a hint on Wednesday about a potential tip of the hat for a familiar face that will be back at AT&T Stadium on Sunday: Ezekiel Elliott. "I don't want to blow a surprise," Jones told 105.3 The Fan when asked if the Cowboys were planning anything to honor the […]
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dropped a hint on Wednesday about a potential tip of the hat for a familiar face that will be back at AT&T Stadium on Sunday: Ezekiel Elliott.
"I don't want to blow a surprise," Jones told 105.3 The Fan when asked if the Cowboys were planning anything to honor the former No. 4 overall pick of the franchise, now a member of the New England Patriots.
Although the Cowboys released him earlier in the offseason for financial reasons and Tony Pollard's rise at the position, there's no denying Elliott indeed left a mark on the organization. As a rookie, he co-starred in a Cinderella Story as he and Dak Prescott took over as rookies and led the franchise to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
In his first three years in the league, Elliott took home the rushing yards crown twice, with the exception of 2017 when he was suspended for six games. Even that year, he led the NFL in rushing yards per game. There's also no denying he was a true professional in Dallas, taking on a leadership role among players and always doing his best to stay on the field even as he fought through injuries.
Considering that, honoring him on Sunday makes perfect sense. While the Cowboys owner really didn't confirm if something would take place or not, it sure sounds like they're planning a little something.
Football-wise, the matchup couldn't have come at a more intriguing time. The Cowboys just gave up 182 rushing yards in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals as they consistently missed assignments. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn admitted it was more about job responsibility than it was about a lack of physicality.
The Cowboys are still an elite defense but it's clear there are many things to clean up against the run, from personnel groupings to gap integrity. That sets up the table nicely for there to be intrigue about how Zeke will do in his "revenge game."
With the Patriots, Elliott isn't the lead back as that role belongs to Rahmondre Stevenson. However, Zeke saw a Week 3 bump in carries as he had 16 attempts after combining for 12 in the first couple of games.
“It’ll be fun to go back to Dallas, a place I spent so much time, and a stadium I’ve played in a lot," Elliott told reporters after the Patriots' first win of the season last Sunday. "It’ll be fun.”
Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy must turn his words into action starting in Week 4
He’s seemingly learned his lesson.
