The Dallas Cowboys finally managed to lock down star running back Ezekiel Elliott just before the new season, but had to make him the highest paid player in his position in the NFL to do so.
After weeks of negotiations, the Cowboys and Elliott have agreed on a six-year deal worth $90m, beating the previous running back benchmark set by Todd Gurley at the Rams.
24-year-old Elliott has been guaranteed $50m of his new contract, and the breakthrough means he can return to the team just in time for their first game of the new NFL season on Sunday against the New York Giants.
Elliott, who has twice been the NFL's leading rusher, will collect $15m a season after ending a holdout that saw him miss pre-season training camp and although he's been in training alone, he may take a few weeks to get back up to full speed this season.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had been keeping a poker face on the situation all summer, but keeping Elliott happy was always a key part of the team's hopes to finally enjoy some more post-season success.
Dallas have won two NFC East titles in three years, and last season they defeated Seattle Seahawks in a promising play-off victory, before losing out to the LA Rams in the Divisional Round.
In fact, since the Cowboys last won the Super Bowl back in 1996 they've not gone beyond that second stage of the NFL play-offs, going 0-6 in Divisional Round clashes since then.
Jones is desperate to claim a sixth Super Bowl title and believes that with Elliott in full flow, alongside quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper, they have the talent to finally make a real run at the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
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