Ezekiel Elliott Cowboys Comeback? Jerry Jones & Coach Mike McCarthy on Emotional Move
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PHOENIX - In the most emotional moment of this Dallas Cowboys offseason, "America's Team'' cut ties with two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott.
And maybe it's emotion that is driving the answers to questions posed on Monday at the NFL owners meetings here in Phoenix to owner Jerry Jones and to coach Mike McCarthy.
CowboysSI.com asked Jones about the difficult decision to part ways with Elliott, even as the Cowboys are saving more than $10 million on the salary cap by doing so (with a post-June 1 release). Jones said he didn't want to "leave him hanging or our fans hanging ... I wouldn't take any possibility off the table.''
Added McCarthy via NFL.com when asked about a possible Zeke boomerang back: "Yeah, definitely. I think you always keep the door open. Absolutely."
We can tell you that "absolutely'' is not the plan. But this is a "never say never'' business'' ... and there is the simple issue of being respectful toward Elliott, 27, as he is now two weeks into NFL free agency and has yet to find a new employer.
"You know, no one felt good about that," McCarthy said of the Elliott goodbye. "I mean, Zeke has such a bright light to him too. He's a great teammate. There's so much love for him in the building, but ... These are tough decisions. Very difficult decisions. Very difficult for Dak (Prescott, Elliott's close friend).
"I've had a number of conversations with Dak, but it's not easy."
Jones revealed that in his conversations with Elliott, no formal offer was ever made to retain him under the terms of a greatly revised team-friendly deal. And when CowboysSI.com asked Jones a question about the relationship between the involved parties, the owner acknowledged the personal side of all of this ... and then offered a perfect punchline regarding the player whose $70 million earned makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
"He gave us everything he had,’ Jerry told us, grinning. "And we gave him everything we had!
“So that’s the way you’d like to end it.”
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