Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is a very happy man as of Wednesday, Sept. 4, and for good reason. After all, Zeke just became the highest-paid running back in the NFL after signing a six-year, $90 million deal that includes $50 million guaranteed. He has literal millions of reasons to be excited about the upcoming season, and he is not shy about sharing that opinion.
Lindsey Draper of the Cowboys media team caught up with Zeke moments after he officially put pen to paper, and she was able to ask him about landing this massive contract. How does it feel to be back from Cabo and rejoining the team in time for Sunday’s season-opening battle against the New York Giants?
Videos by PopCulture.com
Zeke touched on this while explaining his goals for the immediate future in Dallas.
He’s back!
Exclusive look at @EzekielElliott‘s signing and his reaction to his extension after becoming a Cowboy for life. pic.twitter.com/qpAvDjuWDu
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) September 4, 2019
“Just excited to be home,” Elliott said. “Glad to be back with my team, my family, and just excited for this next chapter.”
Considering that he was coming off a holdout that lasted all training camp and through the preseason, there was a concern that Elliott may not be receiving a warm welcome from the other players on the team, but that certainly was not the case. He received multiple hugs in the locker room and later said that his teammates were just as excited to have him back as he was to be at The Star.
As Zeke continued to explain, his goal all along was to return for the season-opening battle against the New York Giants. Team owner Jerry Jones initially expected his running back to miss some time and simply wanted him in the building for the dog days of the season and into the playoffs, but Elliott showed up earlier than he anticipated.
The reasoning for this decision, according to Zeke, is that the Cowboys have the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl, and it’s critical to start the season with a win.
His point is understandable considering that the best road to the playoffs and at least one home game is to win the division. The Giants also play in the NFC East and will be one of four teams in contention for the crown. If Dallas can start the year by knocking off Big Blue, this will only make the journey to the postseason much easier.
