Getty Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott had a strong message of support for Brett Maher.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has an unfiltered message for his teammate Brett Maher.
Just days after Maher’s worst game — he missed four extra points in the Cowboys’ 31-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an NFL record — Elliott expressed confidence in his kicker. As the Cowboys prepare for a big road playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, the veteran running back had a strong message for Maher — Dallas has “faith” in him.
“We got faith in him,” Elliott told ESPN’s Ed Werder during a Thursday, January 19, press conference. “We’re not going to turn our back on him. Last week, we didn’t really need him, but this week we probably will, (laughing) so get that s*** together.”
Cowboys Stick With Brett Maher Against 49ers
Although Maher received a lot of criticism for his erratic game, the Cowboys were never in risk of losing the game. Despite Maher’s three missed extra points during the first half of their playoff win, Dallas still led 18-0. In fact, the Buccaneers trailed 31-6 early in the fourth quarter.
As Elliott stressed in his comments, the Cowboys will likely need Maher as they face an opponent that is favored by -3.5 points, as noted by Sports Illustrated Sportsbook.
Despite being caught on video during the game screaming “go for f****** two” following one of Maher’s missed kicks, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott also had his kicker’s back while speaking to reporters.
“I’m a Money Maher fan,” Prescott told reporters on January 19. “I think he’ll get back to himself this week as he has done here at practice. I trust that guy all the way through.”
Cowboys Sign Kicker as Insurance Policy for Maher
The Cowboys have expressed confidence in their kicker following an all-time worst outing for a kicker. But Dallas did sign kicker Tristan Vizcaino to the practice squad as an insurance policy in case Maher isn’t able to work through his struggles.
“The Cowboys plan to sign kicker Tristan Vizcaino to the practice squad, pending physical, per source,” Tom Pelissero of NFL Network first reported. “Team officials have said the plan is to stick with Brett Maher after Monday night’s extra-point fiasco. But now they have insurance.”
Vizcaino appeared in one game with the Arizona Cardinals and two games with the New England Patriots this season, going 2-for-2 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points. He previously spent time on the Cowboys’ roster during the 2020 offseason.
Head coach Mike McCarthy explained the signing of Vizcaino to NFL Network on Thursday, January 19. “It doesn’t take anything away from our trust in Brett,” McCarthy said. “I just think it’s part of the responsibility. Player acquisition’s a 365-day [thing], this is nothing out of the normal for us.”
McCarthy once again stressed the importance of Maher entering the team’s big playoff game against the 49ers.
“We need Brett,” McCarthy said, according to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports. “He understands that, so we need to get back on it this week and get him ready to go. Obviously, kicking in an outdoor stadium out there in Santa Clara. Yeah, he’s disappointed. We need him. We need him to focus in. He’s been super clutch for us all year, but that’s the plan.”
If Maher has a second straight bad game and the Cowboys advance, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see Dallas promote Vizcaino to the active roster and potentially cut Maher.