Ezekiel Elliott heard LaDainian Tomlinson’s criticism, and the Cowboys star running back didn’t dispute he showed a “lack of effort” on Chris Harris’ interception.
“I guess you could say it looked like that,” Elliott said Thursday in his first comments since Tomlinson’s criticism. “I would say I was just very frustrated, but that’s no excuse for the lack of effort I showed on tape. I just can’t do that. Being one of the leaders on the team and being a guy that people count on, I can’t put that type of stuff on film.”
Elliott said the Cowboys addressed the issue “in-house.”
After the Cowboys’ loss to the Broncos on Sunday, Tomlinson said on NFL Network that Elliott “absolutely quit on his team today.” The Hall of Fame running back, who lives in the Dallas area, pointed to Elliott’s lack of communication with his teammates on the sideline, as he sulked on the bench.
The second-year running back had a career-low nine carries for a career-low 8 yards, outgained by quarterback Dak Prescott.
Elliott, though, mostly has taken heat for failing to chase Harris after the interception. He instead pulled up, put his hands on his hips and walked off the field.
“Just bad effort,” Elliott said.
Elliott insists the play and the game were out of character.
“It’s definitely not me,” Elliott said. “It’s definitely not the type of player I am. It’s definitely not who I am for this team. I just can’t do that. I was frustrated, and I wasn’t myself.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones defended Elliott, sort of, earlier this week, and Prescott threw his support behind Elliott, too.
“First, I don’t really listen to outside criticism,” Prescott said. “For me, I know who he is. I know the type of football player he is, and the type of guy he is. I’ve never, and never will, question his competitiveness or his lack of effort or whatever you want to say. I’ll never question that. I know he’s going to be there for me, for his teammates, for this organization, so I don’t pay attention to what other people say.”