Cowboys players were off Monday, their regular off day, but Ezekiel Elliott will return to practice Tuesday for the first time in more than a week. He missed last week while preparing for and attending his appeals hearing in New York.
The star running back took part in Saturday’s meetings and walk-through at the team’s training facility.
“He’s just focused on getting back to work,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Monday, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I think Zeke has done an excellent job focusing on what he needs to do to get himself ready to play. I think our team has done that.”
The Cowboys are preparing as if Elliott will play in Sunday’s season opener.
“We’re just going to prepare for the Giants,” Garrett said. “Zeke will practice until someone tells him not to and the other guys will get ready to play.”
Arbitrator Harold Henderson didn’t issue a ruling on Elliott’s appeal Monday, and he has to rule by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday or Elliott automatically becomes eligible to play the season opener. At 6 p.m. ET, Judge Amos L. Mazzant III will hear arguments regarding the effort to block the suspension pending outcome of the lawsuit filed by Elliott on Friday.
Elliott’s chances of playing Week 1 are improving every hour as the clock ticks toward kickoff.