Cowboys players, who were off Monday, returned to work Tuesday to find an early Christmas present -- running back Ezekiel Elliott.
“Just very excited, very happy, joyful,” defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “You could tell he missed us so much. We also missed him a lot. Just to have that enthusiasm, all his running around, all his playful[ness] and joy in this locker room.”
The Cowboys hardly recognized their slimmer, trimmer teammate, whom they hadn’t seen in six weeks.
“He looks slimmer,” Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant said. “He does look slimmer. It makes his head look even bigger. He looks damn good. I know he is going to be ready to play. It’s was exciting just to see him.”
Elliott’s agent posted pictures of Elliott running on the beach Sunday. Elliott spent his suspension training in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
“He looked lean,” Lawrence said. “He looked in good shape so I’m ready for him to get the ball 80 times. It’s just great to have him back. He should have fresh legs, ready to run the ball, ready to attack opposing defenses. We’re just happy to have him back, just have our brother back in this locker room.”
The Cowboys went 3-3 without Elliott. Dallas is 18-6 with Elliott in the backfield, including a 9-2 mark when he rushes for at least 100 yards.
In Elliott’s last four games, the Cowboys averaged 183.4 rushing yards per game, the most in the NFL in that span.