Getty Dak Prescott is ready to see the real Ezekiel Elliott.
Goosebumps.
That’s what Cowboys Nation is collectively feeling after Dallas superstar Ezekiel Elliott posted a 2019 preview video to his Twitter account on Friday, two days before the team’s season-opener against the New York Giants.
The video — captioned “We Ready” — features highlights of the two-time rushing champion, now the league’s richest-ever running back, a lead-in to a campaign in which Big D has legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
We Ready
Elliott is the engine that powers the Cowboys’ offense, the centerpiece around which everyone else operates. He leads a unit chock full of talent — from quarterback (Dak Prescott) to wide receiver (Amari Cooper) to, of course, the offensive line.
Which makes Elliott deserving, owner Jerry Jones says, of his six-year, $90 million extension, which includes $50 million guaranteed.
“We can take this thing to the house with him as the running back,” Jones said during a press conference Friday, per The Athletic. “We’ve always known that. There’s no doubt that I’ll go to the mat with Zeke. He’s that important to us.”
Despite missing the entirety of training camp and the preseason, his 40-day holdout staged in Cabo San Lucas, Elliott will start Sunday against the Giants, though his workload has yet to be decided (or publicly disclosed, anyway).
“He came in in really good shape. Hats off to him,” Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Obviously it was hot outside yesterday so we had a lot of players working through that heat. I think he’s going to be ready to go … Barring something unforeseen, he’s ready to play against the Giants.”
NFL Network’s Jane Slater reported Wednesday that Zeke is expected to see roughly 20-25 snaps in Week 1. Although, reading between the lines, it appears the Cowboys won’t wait long, if it at all, to feed the workhorse.
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G-Man Calls Out Elliott Ahead of Matchup
Ric Flair Alec Ogletree got his wish. The Giants linebacker expressed last week his desire for Elliott to become the highest-paid RB, because that’d ensure he’s on the field at AT&T Stadium.
“I hope he does show up,” Ogletree said, per the Dallas Morning News. “I hope he gets what he wants to get. In order to be the best, you have to play everybody that’s the best, and he’s one of the best in the league.”
Elliott has consistently found success against the NFC East foe, rushing for 78 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries in the Cowboys’ first of two wins over the Giants last year (he didn’t play in the second). Elliott burned the G-Men in the 2017 opener, logging 104 yards on 24 totes, and hit the century mark against them as a rookie in 2016, rushing 24 times for 107 yards in a Week 14 loss.
‘Zeke Who?’
Say what you want about Jerry, but the man knows how to market. Exhibit A: The Cowboys’ czar ended his joint press conference with Elliott on Thursday by presenting him with a T-shirt that commemorates his summer-long holdout, and Jones’ now-infamous shade.
“Zeke who?”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL
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