Cowboys bench Ezekiel Elliott in Week 9 for disciplinary reasons

Jan 5, 2019; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) prior to the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Seattle Seahawks at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shane Roper-USA TODAY Sports

Ezekiel Elliott’s second stint with the Dallas Cowboys is getting even more forgettable.

Todd Archer of ESPN reported Saturday that the Cowboys veteran running back Elliott isn’t making the trip to Atlanta for Week 9 against the Falcons because of disciplinary reasons. Archer notes that this will be the first time in his first career that Elliott is a healthy scratch for a non-season finale.

Elliott, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL rushing yards leader, spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Cowboys before leaving to sign with the New England Patriots for the 2023 campaign. He would then return to Dallas last offseason but has been largely unproductive with 149 rushing yards and two TDs through the team’s first seven games of 2024.

Details were not immediately available on the nature of the 29-year-old Elliott’s disciplinary issue. But Rico Dowdle, who had already surpassed Elliott as Dallas’ top running back, and four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook, who is being elevated from the practice squad, will handle the backfield duties in Week 9. It is worth noting as well that Elliott had previously expressed unhappiness with his role for the Cowboys this season.