Ezekiel Elliott motivated to prove doubters wrong ‘every week’

FOXBOROUGH — Sunday afternoon in Dallas represents a homecoming for Ezekiel Elliott.

The running back will return to AT&T Stadium — where he spent the first seven seasons of his NFL career — for the first time since signing with the Patriots. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has hinted that there will be a surprise waiting for Elliott there, and he’ll also be reunited with “best friend” Dak Prescott and more former teammates in Dallas.

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The Cowboys cut Elliott back in March, and the running back sat in free agency until the Patriots inked him to a one-year, $3 million deal in August that’s laden with additional incentives. So with the Cowboys on tap this weekend, is there any motivation to make them regret not bringing him back?

“I think that’s every week,” Elliott replied on Wednesday afternoon.

Later, when asked a follow-up question about that remark, Elliott clarified it.

“I don’t think it’s even about not signing me,” Elliott said. “I think it’s just every week I’m going out there to become a better football player. Every week I’m going out there to put my best foot forward. I think that’s what I meant by that.”

When Mac Jones addressed the media earlier in the day, he pointed to the unique nature of what Elliott will surely be experiencing on Sunday afternoon.

“Obviously, it has to be interesting going back to your old team,” Jones said, “But I know he did a lot of great things there and we’re just trying to focus on how we can get him the ball and make him make plays like he did there. So, I know they have a lot of respect for him.”

The Patriots have started to get Elliott going. His third game in New England was easily the best, as the 28-year-old ran for 80 yards on 16 carries in a Meadowlands win over the Jets. Dallas has been gashed on the ground (25th ranked rushing defense), so it could be another big weekend for Elliott, but he’s trying to stay level-headed about his homecoming.

“I’m going to try to keep it even-keeled,” Elliott said. “It’s just another week for me. I’m not going to make it bigger than what it is. I want to go out there and play Patriot football. I want to go out there, we want to get better, we want to get a win. It’s just the next stop on our 17-game journey.”