Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot had a down year in the eyes of many last season, but not former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III.
On Thursday, Griffin took to Twitter to argue that Elliot had a season that, while perhaps below Elliot’s standard, was still a good one.
“People say @EzekielElliott had a down year last year but he ranked 7th in rushing yards, 6th in rushing touchdowns, and averaged 4.2 yards per carry,” Griffin wrote. “They paid him to be the best but stop acting like he didn’t improve in every major stat category from the previous year.”
People say @EzekielElliott had a down year last year but he ranked 7th in rushing yards, 6th in rushing touchdowns, and averaged 4.2 yards per carry. They paid him to be the best but stop acting like he didn’t improve in every major stat category from the previous year.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) June 16, 2022
New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram, Griffin’s former teammate with the Baltimore Ravens, agreed with Griffin’s assessment of Elliot’s play last season.
“’They’ just hate running backs bro,” Ingram wrote. “Zeke balled with a knee injury all last year. Mf need to pay homage n respect greatness!!”
“They” just hate running backs bro 😂Zeke balled with a knee injury all last year. Mf need to pay homage n respect greatness!!
— Mark Ingram II (@markingramII) June 16, 2022
The 26-year-old Elliot spent most of last season playing with a partially torn PCL in his knee. He rushed for 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns on 237 carries in 17 games, and had 47 receptions for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Elliot’s 4.2 yards per carry was the fourth-lowest total of his six-year career. He had fewer rushing yards (979), touchdowns (six) and rushing yards per attempt (4.0) in 2020, but played in just 15 games.
Despite what was a productive season, Elliot feels like he has something to prove this year.
