Jerry Jones said struggling Ezekiel Elliott is still best player on Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is in the midst of the worst season of his career.
He has zero 100-yard games on the ground so far this season, the longest stretch of his career without one. He has just three games with more than 63 yards.
He is averaging just 3.8 yards per attempt, and his four lost fumbles lead all NFL running backs.
Elliott ranks 11th in the NFL in rushing yards with 572 yards, 382 behind league leader Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings, the Cowboys’ opponent Sunday.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones remains firmly behind Elliott.
Jones blames the injuries on the offensive line and the lack of continuity at quarterback, following the season-ending injury to Dak Prescott, for Elliott’s struggles.
Jones doubled down further by saying that his $90 million running back is still the best player on the Cowboys.
“Well, I think we’re selling him short,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on Friday. “You say, ‘Well, numbers don’t sell anything short.’ But I think you’re selling him short. I know the impact he has on opposing defenses. I know what I see him do relative to the kind of thing he brings to football. His physicalness, his enthusiasm, his ability to just his innate — he’s our best football player. He’s our best one. And having said that, we just got to have more chances to expose him to the defense, and we’re going to do that.”
Jones was asked to clarify if he was saying Elliott was the team’s best running back or best player.
The owner didn’t waffle.
“In my mind, he’s our best player,” Jones responded.
Guard Zack Martin is widely considered the Cowboys’ best player.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and receiver Amari Cooper are certainly having more impactful seasons than Elliott.
And backup running back Tony Pollard has brought more juice of late. Pollard is averaging 4.4 yards per carry this season.
“I mean, yeah, I am a little surprised,” Elliott said of his season. “Just got to figure this thing out. It’s been tough, definitely.”
This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 3:56 PM.
