Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones was not happy with Ezekiel Elliott's visit to pot dispensary

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:26 p.m. ET

Pete Blackburn

Ezekiel Elliott had himself a very eventful Thursday in Seattle. Not only did the Cowboys' rookie running back make his pro debut -- and an impressive one at that -- but he also was seen visiting a Washington marijuana dispensary shortly before kickoff. Not shockingly, team owner Jerry Jones seems very excited about the former but no so much about the latter.

TMZ posted a video of a man reported to be the Cowboys' first-round pick stopping at Herban Legends, a pot shop in Seattle, just a few hours before the team's preseason game against the Seahawks on Thursday. Though he reportedly didn't purchase anything, Jones seemed quite disappointed in Elliott during comments made after the Cowboys' exhibition loss.

"Well, I think that in and of itself the reason we are talking about is in a way part of the learning process," Jones said, according to ESPN. "But it's not good. It's just not good. It's just not good."

While the recreational use of marijuana is legal in Washington, it's still a banned substance in the NFL, so it's understandable that Elliott's apparent interest would be troubling for the employer paying him millions. This on top of the fact that Elliott is currently under investigation by the Columbus, Ohio, district attorney's office over an alleged domestic violence incident with an ex-girlfriend.

While neither of these things is necessarily an indictment of character on the 21-year-old just yet, Jones seems concerned about the path Elliott is paving for himself.

"That's a part of just really getting the big picture here," Jones said. "No matter if you played at whatever level, there is a picture here of interest. So again, I'm aware of it. I heard the report. I would know how he is, and he needs to look at that. And the other thing is it's just not good."

So far, Elliott's NFL career on the field is off to a hot start. His image off the field? Not so much.