Before the 2020 NFL season, Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys was always on the list of eligible players for the league’s best running back title. His statistics, his achievements, and he himself spoke a very clear language. But then last year followed an absolute horror season for the superstar. Now the question arises whether it was just a slip-up or whether the fans in “Big D” really have to worry a bit?
It was not the gold chain in the shape of a 21, hung with gemstones, that recently raptured the fans of the Dallas Cowboys. Nor was it the white bandana with the logo of a well-known sporting goods manufacturer or the numerous body art that Ezekiel Elliott calls his own. No, the photo of your star running back on his social media channel The Cowboys fans liked it so much because he was able to tick a very specific condition for strong performance. Elliott seemed to be in the best of physical shape, including a six-pack and nowhere too recognizable love handles.
Some may take this for granted for the best professional athletes in the world. However, Ezekiel Elliott himself knows that it is not always easy for everyone to keep the body’s own machine in a permanently oiled condition. Last year, “Zeke” was said to be a little out of step during his offseason workout due to the various Covid 19 restrictions and probably felt an effect that many people could observe in the home office and when greeting the mirror every morning. The only small difference is that the work performance of most people is not affected by it, but an NFL professional a few milliseconds of lack of liveliness or a few pounds too much can quickly trip up.
Dak Prescott sees Ezekiel Elliott in “the best shape of his life”
It’s not just pictures on Instagram that reveal that these times are now over for Ezekiel Elliott. “He’s in the best shape of his life,” said Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on the condition of his backfield colleague. Tony Pollard, Zeke’s backup in the running back position, suggested similar tones: “You can tell that he has taken many steps in the right direction. He has changed his diet and looks damn fit.” Words like these make it clear that the assumptions that mostly came from the realm of speculation about Elliott’s state of fitness in 2020 were not entirely unfounded. On the contrary, after all, Zeke himself admits that he wants to go into the upcoming NFL season transformed.
Offseason Zeke is JACKED ????
(via @EzekielElliott / Insta) pic.twitter.com/s1auY4Cdo8
— SportsDay Cowboys (@dmn_cowboys) July 14, 2021
“I feel good and ready,” says the two-time NFL rushing leader, who allegedly now weighs as much as he did in his freshman year at Ohio State University. “I’m lighter, but I’m still strong. I can get behind my pads and deal a few hits.” That will please the fans of the Cowboys, because last year their team was more of the one that had to take one hit after the other and was ultimately allowed to sneak into the offseason with a rather dented face. Elliott had with his worst year in his career fair share of it, losing five fumbles and only getting four yards per carry. After physical contact, he managed just 1.69 yards, never been less in his five-year NFL career. At the end of the season he even lost steadily in the game and left Pollard the backfield more and more often.
Ezekiel Elliott hopes for healthy Dallas Cowboys
It is difficult to say how much his lack of fitness played a role in this development. There is no question that it is unacceptable due to his gigantic contract, Elliott making $ 90 million over six years. But there were other, perhaps far more important, factors that played a role in Elliott’s horror season. Facts such as Elliott’s wrist injury, Dak Prescott’s serious injury, the enormous injury problems on the offensive line (Pollard’s space gain by rush also fell by a whole yard compared to the previous year) and an associated offensive identity crisis of the cowboys had an enormous influence on the running game of the cowboys . And it is probably exactly the parameters that should give Dallas courage again in the coming season with regard to Ezekiel Elliott.
Dak Prescott is back in the NFL after a long injury hiatus and will keep Defenses from packing the box against Elliott. If they do, the ex-OSU star should find it much easier to run behind a line with tackles Tyron Smith and La’El Collins. Both had only played two games together in 2020. Even if a few health question marks remain (including with Starting Center Tyler Biadasz), it is far from unrealistic that Dallas’ front line will be back belongs to the better units in the NFL. And so that Ezekiel Elliott gives more than a little help.
Ezekiel Elliott doesn’t want to disappoint the team or the fans
Elliott not only vows to improve his physical condition, he also promises to focus more on his ball safety. “I’ve never been a fumbler,” says the 26-year-old. “When you carry the ball, you have the hopes of the team, the franchise and the fans in your hands at the same time. If you lose the ball, you disappoint them all. So it’s clearly at the top of my priority list for the upcoming one Season.” The statement that he was never a fumbler may not quite hold up against the backdrop of two more NFL seasons with five fumbles, but nonetheless, as with the subject of weight, a self-reflection can be seen at Elliott. In view of some critics who describe him as selfish, extremely overpaid and at times unfocused, this is not exactly irrelevant.
ZEKE REALLY OUT HERE WORKING ???? @EzekielElliott (via @JonahJavad) pic.twitter.com/LN8rkzJYVM
— Overtime (@overtime) July 2, 2021
His coaches would also like to help Elliott with the “Bounce-Back-Year”. For example, Head Man Mike McCarthy wants experiment with a two-back scheme and Zeke’s Touches in order to have it freshly available in important phases. “We have Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle has also looked good so far,” said the former Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers. “We have a few young players who can do a lot, so it is not always necessary to let Zeke run the ball 25 to 30 times. In December and January you want to have him in top form and have the opportunity to play a fresh Zeke giving the ball so many times. ” Although McCarthy should first be concerned about playing important games in December and January and putting all the cards on the table accordingly, the statement is of course true in essence. A fit, fresh Ezekiel Elliott helps the cowboys a lot more than someone whose tank is only running on reserve.
Accordingly, the messages from the superstar from his offseason preparation for this year are important. His coach Josh Hicks confirmed that he has never seen Elliott work as hard as he did this summer. Many an insider also announced that Zeke was a little offended in his pride last year, after all, he has completely different claims not only with his team but also personally. “If he is fit, healthy and lively, then he is without a doubt the best running back in the entire NFL,” says quarterback Dak Prescott, of which Ezekiel Elliott is certainly also convinced. And what he definitely wants to prove on the field again in the coming season …
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