Ezekiel Elliott did not travel with the Cowboys to Atlanta for their NFL game against the Falcons on Sunday. The 29-year-old running back was told by the team to stay back home in Dallas.
He is being disciplined for what sounds like a lack of care.
Elliott, the No. 4 overall pick in 2016, is on his second stint with the Cowboys after a single season in New England with the Patriots. Jerry Jones brought him back during the offseason to help fill out his backfield after the departure of Tony Pollard. It has not been a successful reunion thus far.
In terms of on-field play, Elliott has only 149 yards and two touchdowns on 48 carries in seven games. Dallas dropped to 3-4 with a loss to San Francisco last week.
However, the issues with Elliott apparently go beyond the gridiron. According to multiple reports, he is constantly late to mandatory activities and missed three team meetings. His absence on Friday forced head coach Mike McCarthy and the front office to issue a punishment. They did not allow him to travel.
According to Jane Slater of NFL Network, Elliott has been “distracted this season.” Whether true or not, that kind of phrasing makes it seem like he just doesn’t want to play football anymore.
Ezekiel Elliott is a healthy scratch today. The first of his career. According to a number of sources, Elliott has been distracted this season. Aside from habitual tardiness, he’s missed three team meetings with Friday’s meeting the final straw. Both parties decided it was best…
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) November 3, 2024
David Moore of the Dallas Morning News offered a slightly different story of what happened.
By his account, the Cowboys told Elliott that he would be listed as inactive because of his behavior. Elliott did not react well to the decision. Only then did both parties agree it would be best for him not to travel.
Dallas was going to let Ezekiel Elliott fly to Atlanta and stay on the sideline. The team changed its mind after seeing his reaction and told him not to travel.
This is a fluid, week-by-week situation moving forward. Dalvin Cook and Rico Dowdle will take the majority of carries in place of their inactive backfield counterpart in the meantime.