The wait for the Dallas Cowboys is finally over as their star running back Ezekiel Elliot is set to return from his six game suspension.
The former Ohio State standout is now allowed to return to the Cowboys practice facilities and will join the team on Dec 19. Elliot’s first official practice session is set to take place on Wednesday.
Elliot’s return couldn’t come at a better time as the team is currently riding a three game win streak and is currently a half game out of the playoff race behind the Atlanta Falcons who won their Monday night game against Tampa Bay.
The Cowboys will need to win their last 2 games and get some help if they have any hope at the playoffs.
Complex News
During Elliot’s absence the team had been relying on Alfred Morris and Rod Smith for their running attack. The duo had been performing pretty well as Dallas had been averaging 120.4 yards per game, ranking the team in the top ten in the league.
The suspension of Elliot was one of the biggest stories of the early 2017 NFL season as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones fought the NFL and succeeded in getting Elliot to play for the first eight games of the season. However, after all the legal appeals were over the NFL decided to uphold the suspension right before the November 13 game against Atlanta.
Jones had been a staunch defender of Elliot, even going as far as criticizing the league’s ability to supersede the law as no formal charges were brought against the star running back. The NFL suspended Elliot after conducting its own internal investigation over a domestic violence charge in 2016 which Ezekiel is alleged to have committed against his former when the pair were together in Columbus, Ohio.
Elliot’s teammates have been outspoken about his impending return. Long time Cowboy and one of the team captains, Dez Bryant has said that the team will be getting a major boost at the right time. While tight end Jason Witten states that Elliot has handled the entire situation like a pro and that the whole team is excited to still be in the playoff hunt.
There have been reports that Elliot has used the time off to keep training on his own in a facility in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Reports have stated that Elliot has lost the extra weight that he has been carrying all season and looks ready to play. Elliot and the Dallas Cowboys will next face the Seattle Seahawks on Christmas Eve at AT&T Stadium, for the latest odds check our US Sports Betting Sites.