Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed that the team is releasing running back Ezekiel Elliott as the new league year gets underway.
A report on Wednesday indicated that Elliott was already informed of the move, which Jones called “one of the toughest parts of operating a team” in a statement released shortly after the official start of the league year. Jones said that the franchise “will always have a special place and love” for Elliott after seven seasons in the organization.
“Zeke’s impact and influence is seared into the Cowboys franchise in a very special and indelible way,” Jones said. “He has been a consummate professional and leader that set a tone in our locker room, on the field and in the huddle. Zeke defined what a teammate should be, and anyone that has ever played a team sport would be lucky to have a teammate like Zeke and be much better for it. . . . He wore the Cowboys Star with pride and purpose every single time he put it on, and we’re a better franchise because of the example he set for veterans and rookies alike.”
Elliott will be a free agent as soon as the move is officially processed and the Cowboys will be moving on with Tony Pollard as soon as Pollard signs his franchise tag or agrees to a long-term deal with the team.