FRISCO, Texas _ With Ezekiel Elliott's agents saying Jerry Jones disrespected their client by making a joke after a preseason game, the Cowboys owner and general manager has responded.
"I've earned the right with Zeke to joke, period. I've earned it," Jones said Monday.
This all started Saturday night in Hawaii after another solid performance by running back Tony Pollard. When Jones was asked if Pollard was his best negotiator for Elliott, he said, "Who? Now Zeke who?"
The comment was met with laughter and then Jones said, "We're having some fun, not at (Elliott's) expense."
Jones would go on to praise Elliott and hope for a dynamic backfield with Pollard.
On Monday, Elliott's agents, Rocky Arceneaux and Frank Salzano said it was disrespectful of Jones to make those comments.
"I didn't think it was funny and neither did Zeke _ we actually thought it was disrespectful," Arceneaux said to ESPN.
In a follow up comment to The Dallas Morning News, Salzano, said, "You see Rocky's comment? We all feel the same way."
Jones probably feels he's stuck by Elliott through his six-game suspension in 2017 for violation of the NFL's conduct policy, and for another league investigation into the running back pushing a security guard to the ground in Las Vegas earlier this spring.
Elliott was not disciplined by the league for the incident in Las Vegas.
"Let me be real clear about it," Jones said. "I've earned that right to joke."
