Cowboys' Jerry Jones: Ezekiel Elliott Didn't Start vs. Colts Due to Discipline Issue
Dec 5, 2022
Dallas Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott runs during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones revealed after Sunday's 54-19 win over the Indianapolis Colts that star running back Ezekiel Elliott didn't start because of a disciplinary reason.
Jones added that the issue was nothing major.
Jerry Jones said Ezekiel Elliott didn’t start tonight because of a disciplinary reason
Jerry Jones said Zeke Elliott not starting tonight was related to some sort of disciplinary matter during the week — not a major deal, he said it was like a phone going off in a meeting or something of that nature.
Elliott entered Sunday's game having rushed for 577 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games, in addition to catching eight passes for 40 yards. He and Tony Pollard form one of the best running back duos in the NFL.
The Cowboys improved to 9-3 on the season with the win. They will be back in action on Dec. 11 against the Houston Texas.
Cowboys Deemed 'Scary Good' by Twitter During 33-Point 4th Quarter in Win over Colts
Dec 5, 2022
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 04: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates with Michael Gallup #13 of the Dallas Cowboys after a touchdown in the second quarter of a game Indianapolis Colts at AT&T Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
It took a few quarters, but the Dallas Cowboys reaffirmed their title credentials with a 54-19 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at home at AT&T Stadium.
The final score isn't reflective of how the game unfolded yet somehow accurately encapsulated the gulf between the two opponents.
Dallas led by just two points heading into the fourth quarter, but the complexion of the game changed in a matter of minutes. Dak Prescott hit Michael Gallup for their second touchdown connection of the night at the 13:52 mark, and Malik Hooker returned a fumble for a touchdown on the very next play from scrimmage to put his team ahead 34-19.
Cowboys fans have encountered plenty of false dawns since the franchise's last Super Bowl title in 1996. A game like this, however, makes you think this year could be different.
Dallas sleepwalked through three quarters, yet it only took a few possessions for Mike McCarthy's squad to hit the gas and leave the Colts in its dust. Good teams manage to find a way to win when they aren't at their best, and the great ones flip a switch like the Cowboys did.
The Cowboys are well on their way to 9-3. With the Texans and Jaguars next on the schedule, they almost certainly will be 11-3 when they get their rematch with the Eagles in Dallas on Christmas Eve. And by then, they might have Tyron Smith back in the lineup.
The Cowboys have eight games with 40 or more points since the start of last season, two more than any other team in that span. The Chiefs have six. It’s their third game with 40 this season, tied for their fourth most in a single-season in team history.
When the dust cleared in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys had forced four turnovers and dropped 33 unanswered points.
Prescott finished 20-of-30 for 170 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. CeeDee Lamb (five receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown) was the team's leading receiver, while Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard combined for 168 yards and three scores on the ground.
The Cowboys play the Houston Texans in Week 14. Houston owns the NFL's worst record (1-10-1) and is coming off a 27-14 loss to the Cleveland Browns in which it allowed two defensive touchdowns and gained 283 yards.
What's the record for the biggest opening spread in NFL history? The Cowboys versus the Texans might approach that mark.
Odell Beckham Jr. Tweets He 'Will Return to Greatness' Ahead of Cowboys Visit
Dec 5, 2022
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 13: Odell Beckham Jr. #3 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. made a pledge to his son as he inches closer toward his return to the NFL.
The three-time Pro Bowler tweeted Sunday he "WILL return to greatness" and wrote to his son, Zydn, "I gotta have u see this."
I WILL return to greatness … Zydn, I promise u son. I promise u. I gotta have u see this . I love u Z
Beckham is in the middle of his free agency tour. He met with representatives from the New York Giants on Thursday before visiting with the Buffalo Bills. On Monday, he'll see officials from the Dallas Cowboys.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday the Cowboys are "considered to be the favorite" but that he won't make any decisions Monday. Instead, the 30-year-old will weigh all of the options with his family and could come to a ruling "by the middle of this week," per Rapoport.
NFC Exec: There's 'Considerable Doubt' About Odell Beckham's Health amid Injury Rehab
Dec 3, 2022
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Odell Beckham Jr. holds the Super Bowl LVI trophy before the NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium on September 08, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
There is "considerable doubt" about the health of Odell Beckham Jr. as he prepares to make his NFL return.
Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports reported there is some concern about whether Beckham will be a major factor this season given it's already December and he's yet to take a snap since tearing his ACL in Super Bowl LVI.
The injury was Beckham's second ACL tear in the same knee in as many seasons. Given the fact he is just now nearing 10 months since the injury, it would be a surprise if Beckham were anything close to resembling his former All-Pro self.
Under the most optimistic of circumstances, Beckham will have a chance to play just five regular-season games before the playoffs begin. That would require him to sign early next week and then be on the field just says later—a highly unlikely scenario. It's possible Beckham does not wind up playing more than one or two regular-season games, which further complicates contract talks with teams.
Vacchiano's report indicated Beckham has been seeking $20 million per year. That's not happening. There is no circumstance in which Beckham signs a deal at anything resembling that number; he would arguably be lucky to get half of that figure.
Beckham has not made a Pro Bowl since the 2016 season and has just two 1,000-yard seasons in the last five years. Even before the injury issues, there were legitimate questions about whether Beckham was the same type of dynamic star who burst on to the scene with Hall of Fame-caliber numbers.
While there has been no shortage of interest in Beckham since he was cleared for a return, teams are going to be understandably cautious in negotiations. A one-year deal doesn't do much for teams given the uncertainty of Beckham's health, so expect a two-year deal under team-friendly terms that allows the 30-year-old to truly show out in 2023.
Cowboys' Jerry Jones Responds to LeBron James' Comments on Photograph from 1957
Dec 2, 2022
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 18: Owner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys looks on before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at AT&T Stadium on September 18, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
During a radio appearance on Friday, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was given the opportunity to respond to the recent comments from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James regarding his appearance in a 1957 photo outside of North Little Rock High School as Black students attempted to integrate the school.
Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, when asked directly if he heard James' comments and hoped to meet with him, Jones gave an answer that only praised James and did not address the issues raised by the NBA superstar.
"I don't know of anybody I respect more," the 80-year-old said of James, adding that he "would have made a great tight end" before closing with, "And I did hear what he had to say." When asked if he had any further thoughts, Jones did not elaborate beyond continuing to praise the 37-year-old forward.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked today on @1053thefan about LeBron James' critique of media coverage toward a 1957 photo that shows Jones watching as white students impeded Black students from entering North Little Rock High School.
Last month, David Maraniss and Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post wrote an in-depth profile of Jones as part of the Black Out series on the lack of diversity in NFL head coaches. The profile detailed how the North Little Rock, Arkansas native stood outside his high school among white students who were blocking six Black students as they attempted to enter and enroll.
Analysis: A 1957 photo of Jerry Jones reminds us how recent America’s past ishttps://t.co/rp437vTV9e
On Wednesday after a win over the Portland Trail Blazers, James questioned reporters in his post-game press conference over what he believes is a double standard regarding the media's coverage of the published photo of Jones compared to the situation surrounding Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving.
"I got one question for you guys before you guys leave," James said. "I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven't gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo. But when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that."
Irving had been suspended earlier in the year for his promotion of an antisemitic film and his refusal to denounce the beliefs contained in it. James was asked to give his thoughts on the matter, as were other NBA superstars at the time.
Jones addressed his appearance in the photo last week, saying he was not an active participant in the 1957 protest against the Black students.
"I didn't know at the time the monumental event really that was going on," Jones said. "I'm sure glad that we're a long way from that. I am. That would remind me [to] just continue to do everything we can to not have those kinds of things happen."
However, James raised an issue with the lack of attention the photo garnered, saying, "I know it was years and years ago and we all make mistakes, I get it—but it seems like it's just been buried under, like, 'Oh, it happened. OK, we just move on.' And I was just kind of disappointed that I haven't received that question from you guys."
While Jones acknowledged that he heard James' comments, his inability to respond to the main concerns he expressed likely will not sit well with many people.
Troy Aikman: 'I'd Bet Virtually Everything' Odell Beckham Jr. Signs with Cowboys
Dec 2, 2022
Odell Beckham Jr. poses for a photo on the sidelines before an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
Free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. still hasn't decided which team he will sign with, but ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Troy Aikman believes he knows where the 30-year-old will end up.
During a radio appearance on Friday, Aikman said he's already convinced that Beckham is destined to land with the Dallas Cowboys:
Troy Aikman on @dfwticket: “If I was betting, I’d bet virtually everything I have on (Odell Beckham signing w/ Dallas). I’ve never known Jerry to lose a player he’s wanted. I think it’ll definitely happen. …On paper, it makes them a lot better. I think it would be a great move.”
Beckham has been flirting with the idea of signing with Dallas for weeks now. Early in November, he named the Cowboys as one of four teams he would be interested in joining after he completed his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in Super Bowl LVI while he was a member of the Los Angeles Rams.
The interest has been mutual, as Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb both endorsed the possibility of the team signing Beckham. Dallas star defensive players Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs and DeMarcus Lawrence all recruited Beckham on social media after he reacted to the team's 40-3 blowout win over the Minnesota Vikings.
The Cowboys are not alone in pursuing Beckham, as they face competition from an NFC East rival. New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll told reporters that he had dinner with Beckham on Thursday night and described it as a "good visit."
Beckham was drafted 12th overall by the Giants in 2014 and spent five seasons with the team. He quickly established himself as one of the top receivers in the league, recording over 1,000 yards in four of his five years in New York. The LSU was eventually traded to the Cleveland Browns and spend two-and-a-half seasons with the franchise before signing with Los Angeles midway through the 2021 campaign.
If Aikman's prediction comes true, Beckham could provide an extra spark for a Cowboys team that is hoping for a deep postseason run this year. At 8-3, Dallas is firmly entrenched in the playoff race and will go for its third straight win when it hosts the Indianapolis Colts (4-7-1) on Sunday Night Football.
Brian Daboll Says Odell Beckham Jr., Giants Had a 'Good Visit' amid Cowboys Rumors
Dec 2, 2022
INGLEWOOD, CA - SEPTEMBER 8: Odell Beckham Jr. of the Rams with the Vince Lombarbi Trophy during an NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills on September 08, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Icon Sportswire)
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll gave a positive update on the team's meeting with free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. this week.
Daboll told reporters the organization had a "good visit" with Beckham on Thursday night and that the wideout would meet with other people at the team facilities Friday.
Per ESPN, Beckham is also scheduled to meet with the Buffalo Bills on Friday and the Dallas Cowboys on Monday.
OBJ has remained unsigned since the offseason during his recovery from a torn ACL suffered during the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported this week that someone close to Beckham said he had been fully cleared from his injury, meaning he could be in line to play shortly after signing with a team.
Signing with the Giants would represent the biggest possible feel-good story for OBJ since he began his NFL career with the G-Men.
New York selected Beckham with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft out of LSU, and he instantly established himself as one of the league's top pass-catchers.
Beckham finished with at least 90 receptions, 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his first three NFL seasons, and he made the Pro Bowl each of those years.
Injuries slowed Beckham down in the years that followed, though, and the Giants traded him to the Cleveland Browns prior to the 2019 season.
When Beckham's tenure in Cleveland went south after less than two full seasons, he was waived and signed with the Rams, with whom he made a major impact.
Along with now-Bills pass-rusher Von Miller, Beckham was a huge acquisition ahead of their Super Bowl run last season, as he recorded 27 receptions for 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight regular-season games for L.A.
He was even better in the playoffs, racking up 21 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns in four games, including the opening touchdown of the Super Bowl.
Little was expected of the Giants in 2022, but with Daboll taking over as head coach, they have turned the corner more quickly than anyone could have guessed.
On the heels of five consecutive losing seasons, the Giants are 7-4 and would be a playoff team if the season ended today.
Much of that can be owed to a solid defense and one of the NFL's top running games behind running back Saquon Barkley. Quarterback Daniel Jones and the passing game have left something to be desired, but a lack of weapons has undoubtedly played a role.
Wideouts Sterling Shepard and Wan'Dale Robinson are both injured, Kadarius Toney was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs and Kenny Golladay has continued to be a nonfactor.
The Giants have had to lean on the likes of Darius Slayton, Richie James, David Sills and Isaiah Hodgins, leaving Jones without a go-to guy.
Beckham would be precisely that. If he chooses the Giants, getting to be the No. 1 receiver may be part of the reason why, as he would play second fiddle to CeeDee Lamb in Dallas and Stefon Diggs in Buffalo.
Cowboys' Dak Prescott Addresses Jerry Jones Photo After LeBron James' Comments
Dec 2, 2022
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 24: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up before a game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Giants 28-20. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was asked on Thursday about a photo that surfaced showing team owner Jerry Jones, at the age of 14, in a crowd of white students attempting to block six Black students from entering and attending North Little Rock High School in 1957.
Analysis: A 1957 photo of Jerry Jones reminds us how recent America’s past ishttps://t.co/rp437vTV9e
"I don't have much to say," Prescott told reporters, in part. "Obviously, we can be more empathetic and give grace to one another. Regardless of race, from the times we've come from to where we are now, thinking about the growth we've had, that’s who I am, that's how I think. Optimistic. A guy who is completely biracial, Black and white. It's easy for me to speak on race on one side or the other."
Imagine this. Responding to the Jerry/Lebron developments @dak takes a moment. Pauses. Admits he doesn’t have all the answers. Refreshing. pic.twitter.com/7DpmyYMipq
"I think that’s a conversation and question not only for him but for (reporters) and how y’all feel and how accountable you’ve been covering and discussing the disparities and differences in race."
Earlier in November, TheWashington Post's David Maraniss and Sally Jenkins profiled Jones and noted his presence when the North Little Rock Six attempted to desegregate the Arkansas school in a greater examination of his tenure as an owner and his poor record of hiring Black coaches.
The photo became a major headline on Thursday, when LeBron James questioned why the media focused heavily on Kyrie Irving amplifying an antisemitic film on social media but seemed to quickly move on from the photo of Jones.
"I got one question for you guys before you guys leave. I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven't gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo," he said. "But when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that."
He continued:
I feel like as a Black man, as a Black athlete, as someone with power and a platform, when we do something wrong, or something that people don't agree with, it's on every single tabloid, every single news coverage, it's on the bottom ticker. It's asked about every single day.
But it seems like to me that the whole Jerry Jones situation, photo—and I know it was years and years ago and we all make mistakes, I get it—but it seems like it's just been buried under, like, 'Oh, it happened. OK, we just move on.' And I was just kind of disappointed that I haven't received that question from you guys.
Jones told reporters after the Maraniss and Jenkins story broke that he didn't realize the scope of what was happening at North Little Rock High School back in 1957.
"I didn't know at the time the monumental event that was going on, and I'm sure glad that we're a long way from that," the 80-year-old said. "I am. That would remind me just to continue to do everything we can to not have those kinds of things happen."
Jones added that he was there to see what was going on, not participate in blocking the Black students from entering the school.
"We didn't have all of the last 70 years of reference and all the things that were going, so you didn't have a reference point there," he said. "Still, I've got a habit of sticking this nose in the right place at the wrong time."
Lakers' LeBron James Questions Media for Not Asking Him About Jerry Jones Photograph
Dec 1, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 28: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers on November 28, 2022 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James called out what he believed to be a double standard after the Washington Post published a photo of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones outside of North Little Rock High School in 1957 when the school was integrating.
"I got one question for you guys before you guys leave," James told reporters following Wednesday's 128-109 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. "I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven't gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo. But when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that."
LeBron James questions the media and shares his thoughts on the Jerry Jones 1957 photo. pic.twitter.com/xbW9LyLicQ
The Brooklyn Nets suspended Irving earlier this season after he promoted an antisemitic film on social media and refused to condemn the problematic themes presented. It was briefly one of the biggest stories in the NBA, which prompted reporters to ask stars such as James their thoughts on the matter.
As part of their Black Out series on the lack of diversity among the NFL's coaching ranks, the Washington Post's David Maraniss and Sally Jenkins wrote an in-depth profile of Jones given his outsized importance in the league.
They detailed how Jones, who grew up in North Little Rock, Arkansas, stood outside of North Little Rock High when six Black students were attempting to enter the school.
Analysis: A 1957 photo of Jerry Jones reminds us how recent America’s past ishttps://t.co/rp437vTV9e
The revelation isn't a focal point of the profile but is included as part of a deeper look into Jones' hiring practices with the Cowboys.
Maraniss and Jenkins note how the 80-year-old can not only open doors for people of color but also help shift the paradigm in the NFL because he's arguably the league's most powerful figure not named Roger Goodell.
Jones told the Post he "want(s) to be the first in line" on improving diversity now, but that hasn't been true in the past:
But league executives say there was one issue Jones never pressed or even expressed much of an opinion on: race. Before and after the Rooney Rule was instituted in 2003, the league regularly discussed its embarrassing minority hiring record. Jones seemed uninterested. 'Other things have been more important,' one longtime former team executive said. 'Being powerful — that’s what is important to him.'
Jones has already addressed perhaps the most talked about portion of the feature. He told reporters he "didn't know at the time the monumental event that was going on" at the protest in 1957.
It's bound to become a topic of discussion once again after James' postgame press conference.
Cowboys' Dak Prescott 'On Another Planet' in 2nd Half of Thanksgiving Win Over Giants
Nov 25, 2022
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) celebrates during an NFL game against the New York Giants on Thursday, November 24, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
It was the best of halves, it was the worst of halves for Dak Prescott on Thanksgiving. Luckily for the Dallas Cowboys, the good half came in the final 30 minutes and put away the New York Giants.
Prescott recovered from two first-half interceptions to lead the Cowboys to a 28-20 win in a key NFC East showdown, throwing for two scores and leading the Cowboys on three touchdown drives in the second half to secure the win.
He finished 21-of-30 for 261 yards on the day. Ezekiel Elliott (16 carries for 92 yards) and Peyton Hendershot added rushing scores.
The victory moved the Cowboys to 8-3 on the season and alone in second place in the NFC East behind the 9-1 Philadelphia Eagles, while the Giants fell to 7-4 and dropped to third in the division.
And as NFL Twitter noted, it was all because Prescott caught fire in the second half:
Dak Prescott is on another planet in this second half
Granted, the Cowboys went into the half trailing 13-7 in part because Prescott threw two picks and also missed a number of throws, leaving big plays on the field. He now has six interceptions in six games this season, a somewhat worrying trend.
But that won't be the story on Thursday because he lit up the Giants in the second half and the always stout Cowboys defense didn't allow them to score a point between the end of the second quarter and the final seconds of the fourth quarter.
For much of the season, the recipe for success for the Cowboys has been the defense stymying opponents and the Cowboys' run game battering and bruising its way to points. And the Cowboys did that on Thanksgiving, going for 169 yards on the ground.
But Prescott's ability to make plays through the air is why this team has Super Bowl aspirations, and why they are a different team to the one that played well with Cooper Rush under center while Prescott was hurt.
This ceiling of this Cowboys team will be determined by Prescott. That was evident in both halves on Thursday.
