Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Asks ‘Zeke Who’ After Rookie Tony Pollard Impresses

The contract negotiations between the Dallas Cowboys and star running back Ezekiel Elliott may not be a laughing matter to him and fans of the team, just don’t expect the same of team owner Jerry Jones. The controversial NFL figure made a joke about the situation during a postgame interview on Saturday, making it appear that he has completely forgotten about Zeke as he remains away from the team as part of a contract holdout.

During the Cowboys victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Hawaii, rookie running back Tony Pollard accounted for 42 yards and one touchdown on only five carries. He also showed considerable balance during his score as he fought through a would-be tackler and stayed upright all the way to the end zone. In response to this performance, reporters asked Jones if Pollard is his best negotiator with Elliott, to which he replied, “Zeke who?”

Jones did clarify his comment by saying that he was simply having some fun and that it was not at Zeke’s expense. He also was quick to point out that Pollard missed a critical blitz pickup that resulted in his quarterback being hit at the worst possible time.

Still, it was difficult for Jones to find much fault in the talented rookie from Memphis.

“What’s amazing for him is to come in here and he hadn’t done that much,” Jones said. “He knows exactly what to do and he knows how to do it. If he goes out there and he plays to that level he’s going to be [at] for the next several weeks, he’s going to be right in the middle of it early. That will really complement what we’re doing with Zeke.”

While Jones may be having fun amid these tense contract negotiations, there is no denying that he would prefer to have Zeke back in the building. The former fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft has been the best player on the roster throughout his career.

In three seasons, Zeke has led the league in rushing twice in both 2016 and again in 2018m and has accounted for 34 total touchdowns. Pollard has been impressive early, but it’s difficult to predict if he will ultimately play as well as Elliott, especially this early in his career.

Jones may be joking around right now, but if he can’t get Zeke under contract and back in the building soon, this upcoming season will take on a decidedly different tone. The Cowboys hope to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the mid-1990s, and Elliott is an important piece in that pursuit.

Can quarterback Dak Prescott and this offense thrive if Pollard is the main man in the backfield? Jones likely does not want to find out the answer to that question.