Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has finally signed a new deal, reportedly finalizing a six-year, $90 million extension.
It’s the news that New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Redskins fans were hoping they wouldn’t hear. Ezekiel Elliott has finally signed an extension and is returning to the Dallas Cowboys.
The running back has reportedly signed a six-year, $90 million contract extension. It makes him the highest-paid running back in the NFL, as the All-Pro enters his fourth season. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, nearly half of the deal is in guaranteed money.
The #Cowboys & RB Ezekiel Elliott agree on a 6-year, $90M extension that makes him the highest-paid RB in the NFL, sources tell me and @SlaterNFL. Roughly half guaranteed. In all, it's $103M over 8 years—the 1st Cowboy to eclipse $100M in total value, the richest RB contract.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 4, 2019
This makes Zeke a Cowboy through the 2026 season and gives the defensive coordinators in New York, Philly, and in D.C. even more of a headache.
Elliott held out for the entirety of training camp and the preseason fighting for a new deal. The former Ohio State Buckeye was still playing under his original rookie contract. Opposing fans were hoping he would be holding out into the regular season. If you were a Giants fan, you were hoping he would hold out long enough just to miss the opening game of the season in Dallas.
However, Elliott is back and ready to go.
Elliott has won two rushing titles in his first three seasons. Through 15 games last year, Elliott had 1,434 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground, along with 77 catches for 567 yards and three touchdowns through the air. He finished with 2,001 yards from scrimmage.
Giants running back Saquon Barkley edged Zeke out as far as their total scrimmage yard total. The Big Blue rookie finished with a league-leading 2,028 scrimmage yards in 2018.