Ezekiel Elliott's workout video receives backlash as NFL fans urge RB to lose weight: "Staying ready for the XFL"

With his NFL future in limbo, Ezekiel Elliott is seemingly not wasting any time. B/R Gridiron recently shared a video of the former Dallas Cowboys running back going through some training drills.

Interestingly, the post attracted mixed reactions from fans on Twitter. Many felt the running back looked out of shape and needed to work on his fitness in order to remain in the NFL.

Ezekiel Elliott is waiting to write the next chapter of his football career

The Dallas Cowboys released Elliott earlier this offseason, four years after he signed a six-year, $90 million extension. He looked like a reliable option for the Cowboys’ backfield then. But last season, Tony Pollard had 1,007 yards while Elliott had 876.

That’s a significant difference, considering Pollard started in only four games. As a result, Pollard received a $10 million franchise tag from the Cowboys. Conversely, Elliott’s production did not justify his massive salary, making him a salary cap casualty.

Furthermore, Ezekiel Elliott’s decline prompted FOX Sports personality and die-hard Cowboys fan Skip Bayless to call him a “one-year wonder.” The 'Undisputed: Skip and Shannon' host said:

“I no longer have an emotional attachment to Zeke… want to know the truth about Zeke's Cowboys career? When you really stand back and look at it, the harder I look, the more it becomes clear to me that Ezekiel Elliott was pretty much a one-year wonder. Seriously, a one-year wonder in his rookie year. Was by far his best year.”

It’s certainly a depressing turnaround for a player who burst onto the NFL scene as a rookie in 2016. The Cowboys took him as the fourth overall selection in that year’s draft and he became the Week 1 starter that season. He finished the campaign with a league-leading 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns. Those numbers earned him First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections.

More importantly, he and fellow rookie Dak Prescott led the Cowboys to a 13-3 record that year. They lost to the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round, 34-31.

Things went south for Ezekiel Elliott after being suspended for the first six games of the 2017 season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The suspension came after domestic violence allegations were made by his ex-girlfriend. Still, he finished his sophomore year with 983 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games.

Elliott’s decline started after two solid seasons, (1,434 yards in 2018 and 1,357 yards in 2019) when it took him 11 games before having his first 100-yard rushing performance in 2020, finishing with 979 yards.

A year later, lingering ankle and knee injuries limited him to 1,002 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 games. His output last season seemingly made the Cowboys decide they’re good to go even without him.

However, it isn't fair to say that Ezekiel Elliott's career is over. He will likely have another opportunity soon, which might come during the 2023 NFL season when injuries pile up.