Troy Aikman offers respect, reason why Dallas Cowboys keep using hobbled Ezekiel Elliott
Troy Aikman had a good reason why the Dallas Cowboys have kept using Ezekiel Elliott despite the running back playing for more than a month with pain in his right knee.
Elliott has acknowledge the injury multiple times but has remained steadfast that he’s physically healthy enough to be on the field.
He hasn’t rushed for more than 50 yards in each of the past four games and his carries have declined in the past month as the Cowboys have used Tony Pollard more to take some of the load off Elliott. Elliott rushed 13 times for 45 yards and had two receptions in last week’s win against the Saints.
The Cowboys (8-4) play the Washington Football Team (6-6) at noon Sunday at FedEx Field.
“He doesn’t look right to me, and I said it during the broadcast, I love Ezekiel Elliott,” Aikman said on KTCK/96.7 FM “The Ticket.” “I mean I love everything about him, the way that he plays. I think he’s a great teammate, a great locker room player.”
Aikman thinks Elliott has remained on the field despite the injury because his emotional presence means so much to the offense.
“He’s one of those players that teams have. Usually, it’s not your star running back but he is really kind of the glue in a lot of ways,” Aikman said. “And maybe that’s why he’s continued to play, just because he’s held in such high regard and he’s respected so much within the organizations and from his teammates.”
The toughness and desire, Aikman added, makes him respect Elliott that much more.
“He doesn’t look like the same player — and he’s just not healthy. It’s pretty obvious, he’s admitted that,” he said. “But he wants to play and he’s fighting through it. And in an era when fewer and fewer players want to play when they’re less than 100%, I really admire everything about him wanting to get out there and play.”
Elliott’s health limitations, coupled with a shuffling offensive line for much of the season, have contributed to the Cowboys’ offensive struggles, especially with their run game.
“I think Dallas is still kind of trying to find itself a little bit offensively. I’ve been there. It’s frustrating when you struggle like that when you know you can be better,” Aikman said. “I know when you make changes on the offensive line … there’s been a little bit of shuffling going on, [including] the changes they’ve made at the left guard position, sometimes that has an effect everywhere just because of the communication and the things that have to take place within the offensive line.”
Aikman, however, still thinks the offensive line can rebound with some stability.
“And I think, that when healthy, Zeke, obviously is a great player,” he said. “But they should be running it better than what they are and I think they realize that and they’re hoping that will start this week and that would be a good time for that to happen on the road at Washington.”
This story was originally published December 7, 2021 at 9:24 AM.
