Mike McCarthy reacts to Ezekiel Elliott's concerning 'discipline' situation, not traveling to Atlanta

Reports that Ezekiel Elliott was a “healthy” scratch from the Dallas Cowboys’ Week 9 lineup made headlines on Sunday morning.

This appeared more questions than answers about what caused the Cowboys to make the move. Before kickoff against the Atlanta Falcons, head coach Mike McCarthy commented on what went into the making the decision.

“There are things we all have to do in the workplace,” McCarthy said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “That’s what it is. That’s as far as I’m gonna go with it.”

Machota addded that McCarthy said it was, “really a team discipline situation. It’s a mutual decision for Zeke not to make the trip.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also commented on the decision to keep Elliott off the road in Week 9.

“He was being punished,” Jones said, via Macota. “He just couldn’t make the trip. … Zeke really was the first one to recognize the discipline involved in meetings and those kinds of things.”

Elliott has been primarily used as the team’s second running back behind Rico Dowdle this season. The former Ohio State star has appeared in seven of the eight games the Cowboys have played this season, totaling 48 rushing attempts for 149 yards, and is responsible for two touchdowns.

The Cowboys will be looking toward Rico Dowdle and Dalvin Cook. Dowdle is the team’s leading rusher, totaling 59 carries for 246 yards this season but has yet to reach the end zone.

Meanwhile, Cook made his Dallas debut last week against the San Francisco 49ers. He was used in limited capacity, totaling six carries for 12 yards during the contest. He may see additional carries in Week 9.

Scratching him from the lineup, along with the emergence of Dalvin Cook may be a peak into the future of Dallas’ backfield. For now, the Cowboys are set to take on the Atlanta Falcons at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.