Earlier this year, Ezekiel Elliott voiced his concerns regarding his usage by the Dallas Cowboys and said that he wasn’t being given enough opportunities to contribute to the team’s efforts.
However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones assuaged those fears, asserting that the reason he wasn’t being utilized more was because of injury concerns in a long season.
“He’s had injury problems throughout his career. So it would be crazy to rely solely on him for the entire season and into the playoffs.”
On a recent episode of ‘The Final Word’, Elliott’s father, Stacy, defended his son’s performance and hit back at those who saw a massive slump in his form.
To drive home the point, he threw an open challenge to anyone who could produce videos of him being “washed.” And the prize for winning the challenge? $10,000!
“If you say he’s washed up, show me the tape. If you say his career over, show me the tape. And I’ll pay you $10,000.” (27:46)
Ever since throwing the challenge, and despite fans posting videos online breaking down his son’s recent performances, Stacy is yet to accept defeat in the challenge he threw.
Did the Cowboys make a mistake by relying on Ezekiel Elliott instead of signing Derrick Henry?
Derrick Henry was drafted the same year as Ezekiel Elliott in 2016. However, their production this season has been worlds apart.
Henry has recorded almost 8x the rushing yards the Cowboys RB has managed in 2024. What’s more, owner Jerry Jones had the opportunity to bring Henry on board but argued that the Cowboys didn’t have the money for it.
Instead, they brought back Elliott, who was with the New England Patriots in 2022. He was with the Cowboys until last year before he went to the Patriots, but returned this year on a one-year, $3 million contract.
Now, Henry is with the Baltimore Ravens, and his partnership with Lamar Jackson is turning out to be one of the most potent in the league.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel Elliott’s best season turned out to be his rookie year when he recorded 1,631 rushing yards, which he hasn’t managed to replicate till now. With more than half the season left, can Elliott prove that he still has it in him? Or will the Cowboys cut him once the current season ends?