We're learning more about why the Dallas Cowboys left running back Ezekiel Elliott at home for Sunday's road game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy spoke about Elliott's absence on the Cowboys pregame show on 105.3 The Fan ahead of kick off.
"He was just being punished. He just couldn't make the trip," Jones said to team sideline reporter Kristi Scales. "Zeke really is the first one to recognize the discipline involved in meetings and those kinds of things.
"Zeke is the anthesis of trouble. He’s absolutely led the way his entire career in leading the team off the field as well as on the field."
When asked why the team left Elliott at home, McCarthy told Cowboys radio broadcaster Brad Sham on the pregame show that it was "really a team discipline situation" and "a mutual decision for Zeke not to make the trip."
Earlier Sunday, NFL Network reporter and 105.3 The Fan contributor, Jane Slater, reported that Elliott has been habitually tardy this season and missed three team meetings, with Friday's missed meeting viewed by the team as 'the final straw.'
Per Slater's sources, Elliott 'has been distracted this season' and both the team and Elliott 'decided it was best he didn't make the trip to Atlanta.'
Slater and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Saturday that Elliott wouldn't be on the team's plane to Atlanta and would be inactive for Sunday's game for "disciplinary reasons.'
Besides resting Elliott for the final game of the regular season, this is the first time in Elliott's career that he has been made a healthy scratch. The Cowboys' rushing attack is last in the NFL at 74.1 yards per game. Elliott has totaled 149 yards on 48 carries with an average of 3.1 yards per tote this season.
Rico Dowdle and Dalvin Cook will carry the load against the Falcons.