Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy ruined Ezekiel Elliott praise with painfully awkward comment

The signing of Ezekiel Elliott was largely met with positive reviews, but Dallas Cowboys fans are waiting patiently for the team's next move at running back. The Cowboys' brass has stated they're not done adding to the RB room.

With Mike McCarthy in a contract year, adding another impact rusher will put McCarthy in the best position to succeed. Unfortunately, the free agent market is bereft of marquee talent as offseason programs get underway.

The best available options include Kareem Hunt, Cam Akers, Matt Breida, Jerick McKinnon, and Latavius Murray. Those names don't move the needle whatsoever. So much so that Elliott might be the best of the group.

It remains to be seen how much the Cowboys will use Elliott this season, but McCarthy has been impressed by the 27-year-old since voluntary workouts started. McCarthy spoke highly of Elliott, but ruined what should've been a wholesome moment with a painfully awkward assessment of the RB.

Cowboys' Mike McCarthy praised Ezekiel Elliott in weirdest way imaginable

"He walked in and he has that unbelievable smile and it's like he never left. Huge personality in the locker room. He definitely puts you on guard. He’s an old school guy. He’ll go up and smack a 60-year-old man in the ass and it hurts. It’s those kinds of things that you just enjoy him — not that I enjoy getting smacked in the ass. "

- Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy

Well, that soundbite got weird in a hurry. McCarthy was simply lauding Elliott's locker room intangibles, but talk about a joke (was this mean to be a joke?) falling on deaf ears. Luckily for McCarthy, this quote says more about Elliott than it does the Cowboys head coach.

While Dallas signed Elliott to strengthen its RB room, what he brings to the table as a leader and presence in the locker room can't be quantified. He'll help keep morale high, but he'll also hold teammates accountable. He's everything a team could want in a star player who's been around the block.

McCarthy redeemed himself to Cowboys fans when he revealed Elliott's expected workload. Essentially, McCarthy confirmed the offense will by a running back by committee. In other words, Zeke won't handle close to the workload that he logged early in his career when he would rush 300 times per season.

McCarthy's excitement for Elliott's return echoes many Cowboys fans. He made an unfortunate choice of words to punctuate his point, but he took it in stride and gave the media room a good reason to laugh. That said, let's hope this is the last time McCarthy references any kind of butt-slapping.

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