Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott broke his silence amid a holdout with his current team over his wish for a new contract.

Elliott invoked Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith in an interview with Maxim magazine published Monday when discussing his contract negotiations.

COWBOYS’ OFFER TO EZEKIEL ELLIOTT COULD MAKE HIM SECOND-HIGHEST PAID RB IN NFL: REPORT

“I love playing for the Dallas Cowboys, I love the organization, my teammates. I do want to be a Cowboy for the rest of my life and hopefully that’s a possibility,” Elliott said. “But even Emmitt Smith, the greatest running back ever, ended up going to play a couple of years for another organization. So it’s just the nature of the game, but I want to be a Dallas Cowboy for as long as I can.”

The Cowboys released Smith following the 2002 season after 12 years, deciding to opt for Troy Hambrick and Richie Anderson as their go-to rushers during their 10-6 season in 2003. Smith ended up signing with the Arizona Cardinals and playing for them for two seasons before retiring.

EZEKIEL ELLIOTT SNAPPED GOLFING IN MEXICO AS DALLAS COWBOYS HOLDOUT CONTINUES

Smith also held out during the 1993 season for a better contract. He missed two games before the Cowboys re-signed him to a four-year, $13.6 million deal.

Elliott is reportedly hoping to receive a deal which would make him the highest-paid running back in the NFL. That honor currently belongs to Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley, who signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the team.

According to ESPN, the Cowboys offered a contract worth less than Gurley’s deal but more than what the New York Jets paid running back Le’Veon Bell – four years, $52.5 million.

“Until the very recent deal with Todd Gurley, I think there was an undervalue of the running back,” Elliott told Maxim. “But with guys like Gurley getting drafted so high, then me, and now guys like Saquon [Barkley] getting drafted in the first round, I think we’ve done a great job of bringing back the value of the position, showing the importance of the running back.”

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Last week, Elliott was spotted in Mexico playing golf at a luxurious, 1,500-acre private resort.