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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Knee Injury is 'Healing Up,' Won't Need Offseason Surgery
December 8, 2021
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott offered encouraging news to reporters regarding a nagging right knee injury that has hindered him, saying it was "healing up and going in the right direction."
"It's football, you're never going to be 100 percent; might be 100 percent the first day of camp," Elliott said, per ESPN's Todd Archer. "It's a tough game. But, yeah, I take a lot of pride in being out there. You are going have to drag me off the field."
Elliott previously said he suffered the injury during an Oct. 3 game against the Carolina Panthers. He left the Cowboys' game against the Denver Broncos on Nov. 7 with a right knee injury.
Since the Broncos game, Elliott has rushed for just 3.2 yards per carry.
Elliott added that he won't need surgery for the injury in the offseason.
"Playing on it is not making it worse," he added.
He said his knee should be good within three to four weeks following last week's MRI, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. Elliott also noted that his knee hasn't been scoped.
All signs point to Elliott being available for the Cowboys' NFC East matchup at the Washington Football Team on Sunday. He was listed as a full participant in the Dallas injury report on Wednesday.
Elliott and Tony Pollard have been splitting time in the Cowboys' backfield of late, with the former back seeing a few more looks. Elliott has had 62 touches from scrimmage for 220 yards in his last four games, while Pollard has 49 touches for 310 yards.
Pollard missed practice on Wednesday with a foot injury, but per Gehlken, there isn't any "long-term concern." A source told Gehlken that Pollard is "fine," although Dallas did add veteran running back Ito Smith for insurance. Corey Clement is still on the Cowboys' depth chart as well.
The 8-4 Cowboys have a big game coming up against the 6-6 Washington Football Team. A win would give the Cowboys a three-game lead over Washington and the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East lead with four matchups left. A loss would allow the Washington Football Team to control its own destiny for the division crown.
Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET in Landover, Maryland's FedExField.