This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys made a puzzling decision to essentially neglect the running back position, even after losing Tony Pollard in free agency. However, they did bring back a familiar face: Ezekiel Elliott.

Despite his declining performance in recent years, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys felt it was important to include the two-time rushing champion in their backfield rotation.

While the move raised eyebrows, it did make some sense under the assumption that Elliott would be used in a limited, but important role—mainly as a short-yardage and goal-line back, contributing to moving the chains and scoring touchdowns.

However, after two months of the season, it has become clear that Elliott isn’t being used in these situations as frequently as expected, rendering his role largely ineffective.

Things took an even more disappointing turn when Elliott had a conversation with the team about his limited role.

As a result, he received more carries than backup Rico Dowdle in a game against the Detroit Lions, despite Dowdle coming off the best performance of his career with 87 rushing yards. Following the Cowboys’ bye week,

Elliott started against the San Francisco 49ers due to Dowdle’s illness, but he struggled to make an impact, finishing with only 34 yards on 10 carries.

But the complications didn’t end there. Ahead of a game against the Atlanta Falcons, reports surfaced that Elliott and the Cowboys had mutually agreed that he would miss the game due to disciplinary reasons.

It was later revealed that Elliott’s tardiness and absence from team meetings had become an ongoing issue.

He had missed three meetings in total, including one on the Friday before the Falcons game, which ultimately led to his absence.

This behavior was surprising, given that Elliott had previously been known for his strong leadership and commitment to the team.

This new pattern of poor preparation contradicted everything that had earned him respect in the locker room.

Things only got worse in the Cowboys’ subsequent matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

With Dallas trailing 7-3 late in the second quarter, they were in a prime position to take the lead with a first-and-goal at the six-yard line.

Elliott, who was supposed to be the team’s hammer in short-yardage situations, was handed the ball.

However, he fumbled the ball into the end zone, resulting in a touchback and wasting a key scoring opportunity.

At this point, it’s hard to ignore the negative trends surrounding Elliott’s return.

Not only is he failing to produce on the field as expected, but his lack of professionalism off the field is undermining his leadership and his role on the team.

His reunion with the Cowboys has become a significant disappointment, and it’s apparent that both parties are no longer a good fit for each other.

Jerry Jones, despite his continued praise of Elliott, has yet to explain what he sees as positive about the veteran’s play, given that Elliott is averaging a career-low 3.2 yards per carry.

Elliott will always be remembered for his earlier years with the Cowboys, where he was a key contributor and a leader in the locker room.

However, the reality now is that his current abilities and behavior simply don’t align with the team’s needs.

It may be time for both Elliott and the Cowboys to part ways, as the situation no longer benefit seither side.