Tony Romo Says Ezekiel Elliott Will 'Be Fine' Despite Controversy Surrounding RB

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo expressed confidence Thursday that Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will persevere despite some recent off-field issues.

On 105.3 The Fan's Ben & Skin Show (h/t NFL.com), Romo said he expects Elliott to figure things out as he continues to mature:

"He's obviously made some choices he'll reflect back and wish he done a little different. But at the same time, just not a whole lot of people are really thrust into this spotlight, this soon, at that age. Really, even in the National Football League there's only a few of them. I always want to give people a little grace period and a little time.

The fact that I know him and I know his personality and how much good he does off the field, how good he is with people, I think he's going to figure it out and be fine. But like we say, you always got to take responsibility and try to improve in all facets of life."

Elliott was previously part of an investigation related to a bar fight in Dallas, but it was suspended Thursday, per the Associated Press (h/t the Los Angeles Times).

Also, the NFL continues to investigate a 2016 domestic violence claim made against Elliott, although no charges were ever brought against him due to "conflicting and inconsistent information," according to ESPN.com's Jean-Jacques Taylor.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last week, however, that Elliott is bracing for a potential short suspension.

While the NFL transition has been far from seamless for Elliott, Romo vouched for the superstar running back's character:

"I know that he's a good kid. He's just trying to find his way. He's in a position where he's always going to be in a spot where people are going to take a photo, they're going to talk about him. We all get these little times in our career where you can go two different directions. He's figuring it out."

Although Elliott has had a difficult time staying out of trouble off the field, his on-field production has been remarkable.

As a rookie last season, Elliott led the NFL with 1,631 rushing yards, adding 15 touchdowns on the ground, as well as 32 receptions for 363 yards and one additional score.

He was named to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro First Team in his debut season and was a driving force behind Dallas winning the NFC East with a 13-3 record.

If a suspension does happen, it would be a huge loss for the Cowboys, and they would be forced to temporarily turn to veterans Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris in the backfield.