Cowboys’ star running back Ezekiel Elliot tells media he has been playing injured and hasn’t been given any time to heal up
During media availability on Sunday afternoon, Ezekiel Elliott took a question about his lack of playing time and use in the Dallas Cowboys offense. Zeke’s response addressed that concern, but also shed some light on the running back’s health.
Elliott told the media that during the Cowboys’ Week 4 matchup with the Carolina Panthers his knee was injured and he has been struggling ever since then. He says it supposedly gets stiff, but he is working to manage and push through the injury.
Elliott would then go on to explain why he has not taken time off to deal with this injury. According to Zeke, none of the coaching staff or medical staff have approached him and suggested he take time off. Elliot expands further, saying he does not believe the possibility of him getting rest for his injury has even come up.
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott injured his knee vs. Panthers on Oct. 3. He’s managing it but it gets stiff. He tells us he’ll do what coaches say is in best interest of team but “no one came to me and asked me to rest. As far as I know, it hasn’t come up.”
4 days til Saints.
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) November 28, 2021
The Cowboys need Elliott healthy as the playoffs approach and the intensity rises
The Cowboys are seated, almost uncontestedly atop the NFC East with a 7-4 record. The next closest team, the Philadelphia Eagles, are playing hard for a wild-card spot in the playoffs at best, leaving the Cowboys alone as the divisional leader. The Cowboys have opportunities to rise up the playoff rankings with both the second and third seed being within just a game and a half.
However, the Cowboys are all but guaranteed a playoff berth at this point and should be worrying less about jockeying for playoff positioning and instead be interested in preserving the team’s health. The Cowboys’ have significant injuries at several key positions and have recently looked like it too. From not scoring a single touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs to being called for 14 penalties in the Thanksgiving game with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Cowboys do not look like the great team that they are.
With the right plan for rest, recovery, and regrouping, the Cowboys can get as healthy as possible for the playoffs and maybe finally make the deep push that their fanbase has been hoping for.
