Elliott smiles for fans, shuns media
OXNARD, Calif. — Ezekiel Elliott stopped for a few moments to greet military personnel and pose for a few pictures on the opening day of training camp.
Just like that, the star running back of the Dallas Cowboys darted out of a large crowd of reporters and ran toward a fence to sign a few autographs.
Last year’s NFL rushing leader as a rookie isn’t talking to media members because of lingering issues off the field, but Elliott is still hamming it up with adoring fans. And he’s also going through complete workouts a year after a hamstring issue limited his time in camp.
“I’m not even worrying about Zeke because that guy loves football,” said receiver Dez Bryant, who had his share of trouble upon entering the league in 2010.
“I understand it’s more than football. He’s got a great supporting cast and he can’t lose with guys like us around him.”
The NFL has been investigating Elliott for more than a year over a domestic violence complaint that prosecutors in Ohio declined to pursue.
Owner Jerry Jones seems less convinced than he was a few months ago over whether the former Ohio State star will get suspended.
Elliott potentially damaged his standing a week before training camp by getting involved in a bar fight that ended with a 30-yearold man getting punched in the nose, although Elliott’s name didn’t appear in the police report.
Dallas police halted the investigation when the man who was punched couldn’t be reached. Jones has said he doesn’t have any other details on the incident.
While Elliott waits for word from the NFL, he’s preparing for an encore to his 1,631-yard season that helped the Cowboys take the top seed in the NFC at 13-3 before losing to Green Bay in a divisional playoff.