Dallas Cowboys

5:15 PM PT -- Elliott's attorney tells TMZ Sports the Coast Guard boarded the yacht to make sure there were enough life jackets onboard. He says no citations were issued, and the party continued.

Ezekiel Elliott had his good time temporarily ruined again this week ... only now it was by the U.S. Coast Guard during a rager yacht party in Miami.

Ezekiel was partying with friends and a gaggle of chicks Saturday on a yacht called No Rules II, when a Coast Guard cruiser pulled up. We're told the yacht had docked minutes before.

Eyewitnesses tell us 2 guards boarded the yacht and conducted a 20-minute search on-board. We're told once the search was complete, the guards went back to their vessel and took off.

Unclear what they were looking for, or why they approached Ezekiel and co. A rep for the Coast Guard tells us they're checking ... but he believes it was probably a safety check to make sure the boat and the guests were in compliance with maritime safety protocol.

Also important to note ... the yacht did not belong to Ezekiel. Sources tell us it belongs to a guy who rents 'em out to celebs and other rich folks. Ezekiel was just there for the ride.

Either way, it's been a bad week for the star NFL player. You'll recall ... he caught a lot of heat for forcefully exposing a woman's breast during a St. Paddy's parade. Now this.

Sounds like former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Bobby Carpenter is conflicted on how he feels about Ezekiel Elliott as a person.

On one hand, Carpenter says he absolutely condemns the boob-grabbing stunt ... and on the other, he's personally witnessed Zeke acting like a good dude.

Here's Bobby's statement:

"I don't endorse Zeke's behavior of grabbing women and pulling their shirts down. It's unprofessional at best and illegal at its worst."

"However on the Buckeye Cruise he got mobbed for pictures and didn't take everyone during his leisure time, but during the 4 hour autograph signing he was polite and engaging with nearly 800 people."

"I know it to be true because I was at the table beside of him. He smiled and kissed babies."

Our takeaway, Carpenter wants to defend Zeke ... but he knows it's dicey.

Meanwhile, Chris Spielman could not have been more clear ... he's sick and tired of Elliott's stupid antics.

Detroit Lions legend Chris Spielman says he's sick and tired of people making excuses for Ezekiel Elliott -- claiming his shirt-pulling stunt was disgusting and wrong, period.

With Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" playing in the background, Tony Romo just thanked Cowboys fans for all the love and support as he figures out his NFL future.

"I just wanted to come to tell you it's been a crazy 48 hours here," Romo said from what appears to be his home gym.

"Me and my family felt the outpouring of support and love from all of you ... it's been overwhelming and it doesn't go unnoticed."

At one point his wife Candice Romo walks by and says, "Babe, enough with the sad music."

As for Tony ... Denver? Houston? Maybe even the Jets?

We now know why Ezekiel Elliott was in the middle of a police incident at an Ohio bar over the weekend ... his "best friend" was getting arrested for a bringing a loaded gun to the place.

Brutal honesty from Eric Dickerson to Ezekiel Elliott Thursday night -- with the Hall of Famer telling the Cowboys star he's GLAD he didn't break one of his rushing records and he hopes he NEVER does!

The two superstars came face-to-face at the Madden Party in Houston -- when we brought up the fact that Zeke came just 178 yards shy of breaking E.D.'s single season rookie rushing record.

Dickerson LOVED IT ... and said bluntly, "No one wants their records broken!"

Zeke told the legend he's coming for his 2,105 all-time single season record ... Dickerson's rooting against that too!!

He's got everything a Kardashian wants ... pro athlete, money, black ... and now Dallas Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson is shooting his shot at Kylie Jenner!

Can't blame the guy ... right??

The 23-year-old is hanging in L.A. during the off-season and says he might try and dip his toe into the Hollywood waters while he's out here ... after all, he knows Denzel Washington (huge Cowboys fan).

Here's the definition of kicking a Cowboy while he's down ...

EA Sports -- the company that makes Madden Football -- just trolled the hell out of Tony Romo, basically saying the only way Romo will ever reach the Super Bowl is in the game.

It went down on Twitter when NBC Sports tweeted out a story about Cowboys owner Jerry Jones saying he thinks Romo will one day play in a Super Bowl (lol).

EA Sports was quick with the zinger.

Ezekiel Elliott wasn't sulking over the Cowboys heart-wrenching loss to the Packers on Sunday night ... he was PUMPED about the team's future ... Zeke's mom tells TMZ Sports.

We talked to Dawn Elliott, Zeke's mom, who says she was impressed with her son's optimism during a post-game dinner with Dak Prescott and his fam at Nick & Sam's steakhouse in Dallas.

Dawn says Zeke obviously wasn't happy with the L, but he wasn't totally crushed either ... 'cause he flat-out believes the Cowboys have a bright future.

"Zeke said the chemistry is great, and he thinks everyone is going to stick together. He thinks everyone will come back."

"They're young. They're looking forward. God willing everyone stays healthy. They'll be back."

As for people dumping on the Boys for failing to notch a playoff victory after their 13-3 season ... Dawn thinks that's nonsense.

"Good grief, the season wasn't a waste. You had 2 rookies and they won 13 games."

Talk about a crazy reversal of emotions ... hours after the Cowboys' devastating lost to the Packers, Dallas' stud wideout Cole Beasley had a baby!!

We're told Beasley's wife, Krystin, gave birth to a bouncing baby boy in the wee hours of Monday morning and the entire family is stoked!

The kid is happy, healthy and Krystin is doing well.

Cole tweeted about the birth Monday morning saying, "The only thing that could heal me has arrived. I love my family so much."

9:10 AM PT -- A rep for the Arlington PD says they made 10 arrests at Sunday night's game.

Two people were arrested for disorderly conduct for fighting, but cops aren't sure if those arrests were related to the brawl shown in the videos.

Here's some unsportsmanlike conduct from a Dallas Cowboys fan after the tough loss on Sunday ... with some of the Big D faithful attacking a man in Packers gear.

The video starts mid-brawl with the man in an Aaron Rodgers jersey on his back while two dudes in Cowboys colors try to ground and pound him.

No word on what started the melee, but luckily for Mr. Rodgers jersey, not all the Dallas fans were salty about the loss, and actually interceded on his behalf.

We've reached out to cops for info on any arrests ... so far no word back.

Dallas Cowboys DB Orlando Scandrick has a pre-game ritual that powers him up before a game ... he bangs it out ... so says his fiancee, Draya Michele.

We got Draya & Julissa Bermudez leaving Catch in L.A. when we asked her what the rules are on pre-game lovin' in the Scandrick-Michele house.

Some athletes -- especially boxers -- say a little booty weakens the knees ... and with a HUGE playoff game against the Packers coming up on Sunday, the Cowboys need all knees strong.

Draya promises Cowboys Nation her man will be tip-top, because she says their lovemaking is the magical elixir behind Scandrick's success ... and he dips into that elixir before every game he plays.

Check out the below vid ... you'd play better too.

7:15 AM PT -- Zeke just tweeted about the crash saying, "I'm good. I've been in bigger collisions. Lol."

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was involved in a "minor car crash" near the Cowboys practice facility in Frisco, Texas ... TMZ Sports has learned.

A witness tells us ... Elliott was driving a "huge black GMC truck" which rear-ended a black BMW. Cops and Cowboys security responded to the scene. We're told Zeke "looked frustrated" but was "extremely nice and polite" to everyone who stopped to check in on him.

The Frisco PD confirmed the crash and tells us, "Ezekiel Elliott was involved in a minor vehicle crash this morning in the area of Dallas Parkway and Gaylord Parkway."

"There were no injuries sustained as a result of the minor crash."

Bottom line ... take a deep breath, Cowboys fans ... he'll be good to go on Sunday against the Packers.

Denzel Washington thinks the Cowboys can beat anybody ... unless they can't.

He also thinks Ezekiel Elliott should win MVP ... unless he doesn't.

With Dallas Cowboys player Randy Gregory getting crushed by haters in the wake of his 1 year suspension for a drug test violation ... his girlfriend is coming out swinging in his defense.

The woman in Gregory's life is Nancy -- the mother of the his 3-month-old daughter -- who clearly doesn't believe the 24-year-old is the screwup people are making him out to be.

"You're not perfect and you have your flaws but you don't deserve half of the things people say about you," Nancy posted to Randy on social media.

"You're the father of my child and I will not let the media and fans tear you down."

"You don't deserve the hate you receive. You're an amazing human being and I know you have it in you to be an elite athlete you strive to be on a daily basis."

If you have doubts the Cowboys will win the Super Bowl, this video might erase them ... look at how cool their rookie QB Dak Prescott is from an all-out spitball assault from MVP candidate Zeke Elliott.

Prescott was minding his business trying to give the media some serious locker room answers when Zeke started blitzing him with some middle school variety pressure ... and it's hilarious.