The Dallas Cowboys will visit the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday and when they do they will bring to the game the worst rushing attack in the NFL.
Criticism has come from far and wide for how the Cowboys handled the running back position over the offseason with how the most notable “addition” to the room was bringing back franchise icon Ezekiel Elliott. To date, Zeke has been one of the least explosive running backs in the game and last week Dallas turned to Dalvin Cook, who they signed very late in the game, to try and mix things up.
To be clear, the Cowboys promoted Cook from the practice squad as far as a technical procedure. There was always going to be someone who had to be inactive for him to play though, and many were curious as to whether or not that would be Zeke. Shortly before the team’s game against the San Francisco 49ers it was reported that Rico Dowdle had come down with an illness which took care of the numbers part of the equation.
It seems that circumstances have changed this week. It was reported on Saturday that Cook would once again be called up and that Elliott would not only be inactive, but that he was not even making the trip with the team.
Ezekiel Elliott isn’t making the trip to Atlanta & will be inactive for game.
Rico Dowdle & Dalvin Cook will handle the RB load. https://t.co/OeuXdSY29n
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) November 2, 2024
What is more is that shortly after that report came this from ESPN’s Todd Archer where he noted that Elliott’s absence was due to disciplinary reasons.
Ezekiel Elliott will not be active vs. Atlanta and will not make the trip with the Cowboys because of disciplinary reasons, according to a source. First time he is a healthy scratch in a non-season finale in his career.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) November 2, 2024
Elliott has been a polarizing figure on the Cowboys over the last few seasons that he has been on the team (he was not in 2023 to be clear as he had been released prior to its beginning, we are talking about multiple years over two separate stints with the team) given that his level of explosiveness has not been what it was during his earlier years with the Cowboys in quite some time. Given all of the incredible moments that he was a part of though, there were many who seemingly wanted to see if things were still possible.
However the team got to this point they clearly did and are not set to operate with him as a healthy scratch for the first time ever throughout his overall time with the team.
Father time remains undefeated.
Update: 6:15pm ET
In the aftermath of this news there continues to be reporting over the specific process that unfolded.
According to The Dallas Morning News the Cowboys informed Zeke that he would be made inactive and there was a “mutual decision” that he would not travel with the team.
David Moore added that just because the decision may have been mutual does not mean that there was not an element of disciplinary action involved.