Mike McCarthy updates the status of Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott, other injured stars

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy provided several updates on his injured stars on Wednesday as the team preps to face the struggling Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys could return running back Ezekiel Elliott for the game, however, McCarthy also said the team will be watching his reps as the week goes along.

“He told me he’s fine and ready to go,” McCarthy said. “Everything looks positive.”

Elliott’s last outing was on Oct. 23 versus the Lions. He had his first two-touchdown game of the season, along with 57 yards on 15 carries.

The former Green Bay head coach also shared that rookie defensive end Sam Williams and safety Malik Hooker will return to practice on Wednesday.

CLICK HERE to subscribe for FREE to the On3 YouTube channel

Meanwhile, wideout James Washington is still unlikely to play for the Cowboys in Week 10. He is “very, very close to being ready” but won’t return to practice this week, per McCarthy. Washington has been on injured reserve since Aug. 1 and hasn’t played a game yet this season.

The Cowboys travel this weekend to Green Bay for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff. Dallas enters the matchup on a two-game win streak and with fresh legs after the bye week. On the flip side, the Packers are coming off of their worst offensive performance of the year. They lost to the Detroit Lions on Sunday 15-9 with quarterback Aaron Rogers throwing three interceptions.

Rodgers hopes fans will ‘show a lot of gratitude’ to McCarthy

Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers spent 13 seasons together in Green Bay, but the pair are set to meet as foes for the first time on Sunday when Rodgers’ Packers host McCarthy’s Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field.

Even though McCarthy went 11-16-1 over his final two seasons before being fired in Week 14 of 2018, Rodgers wants fans to remember the positive. The quarterback won the only Super Bowl of his career under the direction of McCarthy in 2010, and the coach led them to the playoffs in nine of his 13 seasons.

Rodgers hopes the crowd will make McCarthy feel welcome when he walks out of the tunnel.

“Really positive, I think,” Rodgers said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “I hope that the fans show a lot of gratitude and appreciation for his 13 seasons and a championship and a lot of great memories over the years. He’s got a street named for him. That’s pretty special. But I hope that the fans give him the reception he deserves.”

On3’s Chandler Vessels contributed to this report.