Ezekiel Elliott Opens up on Holdout and Says He Wants to Be a Cowboy for Life

Ezekiel Elliott remains in Cabo, but at least Cowboys fans can take solace in the fact he doesn't actually want to find a new home.

Elliott opened up in an interview with Maxim about the status of his contract negotiations, his intentions moving forward and the impact a large contract would have on the value of the running back position. All told, he insisted he wants to remain a Dallas player for the full extent of his career.

Elliott is aware his reputation with Cowboys Nation could be in flux, especially as he continues to miss training camp with the regular season right around the corner. Still, he understands how important this particular contract is for his career earnings, especially with the short shelf life of running backs in the NFL.

Zeke's comment regarding the value of the running back position as a whole, however, would induce that he thinks this particular contract is bigger than just himself. With NFL teams frequently avoiding drafting running backs high and therefore eventually cutting ties with the more talented players as they age, Elliott is setting a new standard by demanding a new contract with multiple years left on his rookie deal. By doing so, Dallas is forced to give Elliott a new long-term contract that will take him into his late 20's at the very least rather than potentially leaving him high and dry when he's 26 or 27.

Elliott pinpointed Todd Gurley's record-setting Rams contract as an instructive one in his negotiations, and he's hoping to achieve that standard rather than be relegated to the level of Le'Veon Bell's contract -- modest by comparison -- which came after the former Steeler held out for an entire season.

Zeke is healthy, and at just 24, he wants to be paid like an elite, franchise-changing talent in hopes of continuing to raise than bar and lead a resurgence at the running back position.