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Ezekiel Elliott was wondering what the heck happened on the final-play debacle of the Dallas Cowboys’ season.

With a second remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter and Dallas trailing 23-17, quarterback Dak Prescott scrambled across the middle of the field, and an official impeded the Cowboys from snapping the ball as time expired.

Elliott was not on the field for the play, but was mic’d up for the eventual loss to the 49ers.

“What happened?” Elliott asked. “The referee got in the way?”

The official did get in the way because by rule the ball has to be set before the Cowboys can hike it. Prescott had already handed the ball to the center and was hindering the official’s access to the ball.


  Ezekiel Elliottt was confused by what happened on final play for Cowboys.
 Ezekiel Elliottt was confused by what happened on final play for Cowboys.

  Dak Prescott unable to snap the ball before time expired.
 Dak Prescott unable to snap the ball before time expired.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy defended the play call on Wednesday, but also said the onus was on Prescott to go down 10 yards sooner to provide more time on the clock to get another snap off.

Calls have come from various pundits for McCarthy to lose his job given the Cowboys were favored in the game and had myriad of self-inflicted wounds throughout it.

Stephen Jones, Cowboys EVP and son of ownerJerry Jones, said in a radio spot earlier this week that he is “very confident” McCarthy will return as head coach next season.

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