The Dallas Cowboys and star running back Ezekiel Elliott agreed to a new contract to make him the highest-paid player at his position and end his holdout — just days before the start of the season.
The Cowboys announced the team agreed to a six-year, $90 million contract extension with Elliott with about half of the salary being guaranteed.
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
The post you’ve all been waiting for…@EzekielElliott agrees to new deal on contract extension.
Read more → https://t.co/dnKzVEsXRWBreaking news presented by @LGUS pic.twitter.com/qM9fW2KlXU
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) September 4, 2019
The deal will pay Elliott more money than Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley, who signed a four-year, $57.5 million deal before the 2018 season.
Elliott’s monster contract ends the holdout, which cost the running back training camp with the team. Elliott spent the end of his offseason training in Mexico while hoping the franchise and his agent would come to terms on a new deal.
Dallas owner Jerry Jones had been very public about his dealings with Elliott, even getting ready to use rookie Tony Pollard in case Elliott wasn’t ready to go for Week 1 against the New York Giants. But Elliott left Mexico on Tuesday and word broke about the big deal early Wednesday.
Elliott has been one of the most prolific running backs in the NFL since Dallas selected him with the No. 4 pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. In three seasons, Elliott has made two Pro Bowls and led the league in rushing twice.
In 2018, Elliott rushed for 1,434 yards and six touchdowns. Dallas won the NFC East division but lost in the playoffs to the eventual NFC champion Rams.
