Just days after cracking a joke about Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones no longer was in a joking mood Tuesday when asked about his comments regarding the running back.
Jones quipped “Zeke who?” Saturday night after the Cowboys’ preseason win against the Los Angeles Rams in which rookie running back Tony Pollard ran for 51 yards and a touchdown while Elliott continues his holdout.
Elliott and agent Rocky Arceneaux reportedly were none too pleased with the comments from Jones.
It drew a few laughs but neither @EzekielElliott nor agent Rocky Arceneaux found @Cowboys Jerry Jones' quip "Zeke who?" as amusing. Arceneaux: "I didn't think it was funny and neither did Zeke – we actually thought it was disrespectful."
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) August 19, 2019
But Jones doubled down on his comments Tuesday, hours after the Cowboys reached a multi-year extension with linebacker Jaylon Smith.
“I have earned the right to joke with Zeke,” Jones said, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence E. Hill Jr. “Let me be real clear about that. I’ve earned the right to joke with Zeke.”
(You can see video of the response here)
After emphasizing twice that he’s “earned the right,” Jones said he has not had any contact with Elliott since, who remains in Cabo while his holdout drags on.
Time is running out on the two sides to get a deal done before the season begins, and it seems that things might be heading in the wrong direction.
