With the Dallas Cowboys’ 2024 season kicking off Sunday, owner Jerry Jones took some time to reiterate his confidence in the team’s running back situation.
The team is set to deploy a running back-by-committee approach, with Ezekiel Elliott leading the crew to start things off. Although plenty of media pundits have expressed concerns over the setup, Jones feels the group can have a successful campaign.
Here are some highlights from Jones’ latest appearance with the K&C Masterpiece on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM):
We go through these websites and they like a lot of your groups. But a lot of them say the Cowboys have the NFL’s worst running back group. Why would you disagree with that?
Jones: “Well, I think to start with, if you disagree with Elliott, then you’ve got a head start on disagreeing with the group. Would you give me that? I think I have a higher picture of what Elliott can bring to the table. I think that what he did in New England last year was a higher caliber of performance than he’s given credit for. I know from experience that it’s extremely, extremely difficult to evaluate the time when a player has, if you will, diminished because of the numbers of carries that he’s made. I’m excited about having Ezekiel Elliott.
“I think we had a wonderful opportunity because of his love for the Cowboys, and because of our feeling about him as a team player. I think this gave us an opportunity to have Ezekiel Elliott out here when it might not have worked other places. I’m excited about where we’re going there. I like Rico [Dowdle] that’s in there behind him. Boy, he’s a volatile runner. He’ll get snaps. Everybody that follows this stuff knows that it takes more than one running back to make it go. I think Elliott gives us an edge on short yardage. We’re all excited about seeing Deuce Vaughn use his unique skills in the right kinds of situations all over the offense. Don’t cut out our fullback Hunter Luepke. He’s a football player and he can run the ball, too.”
Dak Prescott recently said he wants to win a Super Bowl here because it would be different than winning it somewhere else. Why do you think it’s different?
Jones: “Well, I think Dak is looking at it from the perspective of his career and his tenure. He’s invested so much in what we’re about, what we can be and I completely understand that statement. I’m proud he feels that way and I want that to come true.”
In Thursday’s opener, teams were booting kickoffs through the end zone. Do you think teams will continue using that method under the new rules?
Jones: “I think there will be a lot more in-play kickoffs, where you’ve got tackling and the return part of it. That sure [Thursday] was the case. It’s a weapon, it’s a way to have some offense on kickoff that was not there, in my view. That, I don’t believe will be the case. It could be the majority of the case but strategically, it allows if you choose to, basically on either side of the ball, create some game that involves both defense and offense. Let’s see how this thing plays out. But that certainly was notable that we didn’t get a ball in play during the kickoff.”
On Micah Parsons’ desire to become a stronger leader...
Jones: “I certainly think anytime you have the ability and the performance to back it up, that Micah has had so far, that you’ve got the makings of a great leader on the field. That’s a very big-time prerequisite to leading is to walk the talk. I think that he’s got all the potential in the world to be outstanding. He’s so mentally with it, he’s extraordinarily sharp. I think all of that lends itself, he’s got great people skills. He’s got a personality that goes with his skill set. His aggressiveness playing the game. All of that makes quite a package.
“What I’m also impressed about is how hard he works as a young man, a young player to take advantage of his gifts. I think he could be an outstanding leader for, not only the defense but for the team.”
Listen to the rest of Jones’ radio appearance here.
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