Cowboys talk about “insulting” Ezekiel Elliott

The Dallas Cowboys decided to part ways with 2016 1st round draft pick Ezekiel Elliott earlier this month after the popular running back posted career low numbers in 2022 of only 876 yards and 12 total touchdowns. Meanwhile, the move was made easier after Tony Pollard emerged as the team's top player at the position with 1,007 yards total, nine touchdowns and a Pro Bowl recognition.

Why was it that the Cowboys elected not to offer Elliott a pay cut? They felt it would come off as disrespectful towards a popular player who had accomplished plenty of things during his time with the franchise. 

“The last thing we want to do is do anything that would be insulting to a player, to a great player, like Zeke, who was one of the best players to ever put on a Cowboys uniform,” Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones said. “There are sensitivities when you get into making offers.”

“Sometimes the best thing is to let them get a feel for what the market is,” Jones said, comparing Elliott’s release to the past releases of figures like Emmitt Smith and DeMarcus Ware. “When you’re talking about great players — and that’s what makes them great: They think a lot, not in a selfish way, but they perceive themselves as a great player and they are. It just becomes how do you make the business work. It always boils down to that unfortunately.

“I think for the most part we’ve worked through these tough situations in a good way and hopefully we’re doing it in spades with Zeke because there’s nothing but love and respect for Zeke Elliott.”

But as head coach Mike McCarthy implied earlier in the week, Jones also stated that there appeared to be a chance that Elliott could somehow make his way back to the team at some point. 

“Wish him nothing but the best if it turns out he didn’t return,” Jones said. “But we never rule anything out around here.”