Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday morning.
He also agreed to dole out a few million back in Texas – a six-year contract extension for Ezekiel Elliott worth a reported $90 million, to be exact – and says the Pro Bowl running back deserves every bit of it.
"Zeke has been arguably our best player," Jones said in an interview with CNBC. "I'm not trying to be unfair to anybody else. But he's an incremental part to our success. We're glad to get him booked in, we're glad to have him on the team.
"And he plays a position that has some pretty interesting dynamics to it because running backs are short-lived, although we had what I consider to be one of the top five greatest ones in Emmitt Smith, and Emmitt ran the ball for 13 years. So you don't have to have a four- or five-year career to be a running back. On the other hand, Zeke allows us to create such problems for the defense that then we can open it up to our passing, open it up for Dak Prescott."
With two years also remaining on his rookie contract, this new deal means Elliott will stay a Cowboy for at least the next eight years. The former fourth overall draft pick is expected to receive $50 million in guaranteed money, the most ever for an NFL running back.
"Zeke has a big heart," Jones said with a smile. "Now he's got a thick pocketbook, too."
