NFL training camps are starting, which means players are bound to invoke the insufferable phrase “best shape of my life.” It’s a tired narrative, the kind of meaningless cliché we’ve been conditioned to roll our eyes at, but in the case of Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, it might actually be true. Elliott, who, for most of his career, has been listed at a stout 228 pounds (though many suspect he weighed significantly more last season), arrived at Cowboys camp in Oxnard looking much slimmer. The two-time rushing champ revealed he’s down to 218 pounds, the lightest he’s been since his freshman year at Ohio State.
Coming off career-lows in touchdowns (eight combined rushing and receiving scores), rushing yards (979) and yards per attempt (4.0), the former fourth overall pick recommitted himself this offseason, putting in long hours on the practice field while also getting after it in the weight room. The hard work appears to be paying off (Elliott chronicled his fitness journey by posting his workouts on Instagram) with fans marveling at the svelte-looking 25-year-old’s transformation.
“It’s definitely something I needed to work on,” said Elliott of his weight, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “So I went and got in the lab and got better.” On top of upping his workout regimen, the sixth-year workhorse also made a conscious effort to eat better, placing an emphasis on nutrition by hiring a personal chef. Carrying a little extra weight isn’t necessarily a bad thing for running backs, who need a certain amount of mass to absorb hits, though being too heavy can be a deterrent, impacting mobility and stamina.
Elliott’s toned physique understandably has Cowboys fans excited, though it wasn’t all good news for Dallas Thursday with Amari Cooper—their leading receiver each of the past three seasons—and stud pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence each beginning camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. The Cowboys are looking to rebound from a dismal 2020 campaign that saw them finish third in the division, losing seven of their final 11 games after Dak Prescott was lost to a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5.
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