Re-signing Darren McFadden pleases player, owner

Darren McFadden's re-signing with the Dallas Cowboys last month did not produce national headlines, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the former player with the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville will play an important role in the Cowboys' future.

"Darren is such a leader," Jones said Thursday. "We talk about Jason Witten and his leadership but Darren McFadden is unbelievable. ... He can add such a dynamic aspect to our offense. We have Zeke (running back Ezekiel Elliott) out there, but he can't carry them all. I don't think Darren has lost a second in his step. Unfortunately he had an injured wrist last year, but now he's as healthy as he has been in his career."

Jones and McFadden were in Little Rock on Thursday for Easterseals Arkansas, which was honoring Stephen Jones as its Arkansan of the Year. Stephen Jones is the son of Jerry Jones and the chief operating officer/executive vice president/director of player personnel with the Cowboys.

McFadden, who rushed for 1,089 yards in 2015 but was limited to three games last season, said he is pleased to be returning to the Cowboys for the third season.

"It's just a blessing for me," said McFadden, who is entering his 10th year in the NFL. "NFL running backs usually don't last more than two or three years, so just to be blessed to be out there and perform at a high ability, I just love it. I'm a football player and I want to be out there to do whatever I can to help my team win."

McFadden, 29, has rushed for 5,423 yards and scored 28 touchdowns in his career. He was the fourth overall pick by the Oakland Radiers during the 2008 draft.

One of the reasons McFadden's re-signing got overlooked is because its been a newsy last two weeks for the Cowboys and the NFL.

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo retired earlier this week and has been hired by CBS to be the lead broadcast analyst.

"Before I got to Dallas, I didn't realize the work Tony put in and how dedicated he was to the game," McFadden said. "He is a phenomenal athlete and one of the smartest quarterbacks I've ever been around."

Jones said CBS is getting a jewel in Romo.

"The biggest disappointment in my time with the Dallas Cowboys is that we didn't get Tony Romo into a Super Bowl," Jones said. "He's that caliber of a quarterback. He can still play. It is unbelievable that he has the opportunity to be one of TV's premier analyst. ... There's only a couple of players who could walk right in and be the lead TV analyst. He's been inordinately articulate and his skill on the football field has been his quickness to see. He's going to be an outstanding analyst."

Jones also talked about the Raiders' move to the gambling mecca Las Vegas and what a positive addition it would be for the NFL.

"Las Vegas has an aura about it," Jones said. "It has something special. Is it a negative for sports and the NFL? No. ... The Raiders' image was built for Las Vegas."

Sports on 04/07/2017

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