Dallas Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott is turning heads for all the right reasons. Elliott posted a series of photos showing off all the offseason work the Cowboys rusher has done.
“Lil Off Season Photo Dump,” Elliott said on Instagram.
Elliott looks to be in great shape displaying six-pack abs while also sharing additional photos of his on-field workouts. The pictures appear to be proof of what those close to Elliott are describing as the best shape of his NFL career. Elliott’s trainer Josh Hicks believes the running back is putting in more work than he ever has in an offseason.
“Zeke’s in good shape,” Hicks told The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “I agree with Dak. I agree with Tony. I was on the outside looking in. They’ve been with this man three, four years. They see him way more than I see him. They’ve seen him work in practice and they’ve seen him work in the offseason. I don’t think Zeke has ever worked like this in the offseason. I could be mistaken. But me, personally, when it comes to my drills and what I do and how I do it, I know he hasn’t worked like this.”
Here is a look at Elliott who appears to be more than ready for the Cowboys season.
Prescott on Elliott: ‘Zeke Is in the Best Shape of His Life’
This echoes what Prescott described as Elliott being in the “best shape of his life.” The Cowboys are hoping to benefit not only from a healthy Prescott but a running back that once again looks to be in top shape.
“Zeke looks great,” Prescott noted, per DallasCowboys.com. “He’s in the best shape of his life — looking fast. Everybody’s seen the clips of him working out independently with his running back coach. His cuts, just how explosive he is.”
McCarthy on Zeke: ‘He’s Had an Outstanding Program’
Elliott has also received praise from Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy who emphasized that the running back even sits in on the quarterback meetings. It will be worth watching how the Cowboys utilize Elliott given the emergence of Tony Pollard.
“I think Zeke looks great, I mean, he’s been here pretty much the whole time,” McCarthy remarked in a June 8th press conference. “He goes to the early-morning quarterback meetings. He’s a pro’s pro, I’ve been impressed with Zeke since day one. He sits in the front row, asks good questions. He knows the offense in and out. He’s definitely one of the leaders, especially the leader of the running back group. Helps the young guys. I mean, he does everything you look for in a veteran. So, I think he’s had an outstanding offseason program.”
Elliott dropped four spots in ESPN’s annual rankings coming in at No. 7 among running backs for 2021. The results are based on the rankings of players, coaches and front-office executives. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler detailed how Elliott is viewed around the league.
“Some teams still view Elliott as the most natural downhill rusher in the game because of his combination of speed, power and balance,” Fowler noted. “…Why Elliott fell in this year’s rankings is easy to answer: lack of juice. He has seven rushes of 20-plus yards since 2019 and zero runs of more than 40. That’s the worst explosive-play production on this list. Some personnel people believe Elliott appears less explosive on film since signing his $75 million extension before the 2019 season. …Elliott has fumbled five or more times in three of his five NFL seasons.”
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Cowboys Star Ezekiel Elliott Goes Viral with Shirtless Photo [LOOK]