Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott understands why the training staff wants to slow him down a little bit. The projected feature back likely will miss the preseason opener and possibly more with a tweaked hamstring.
But that doesn't mean he's gotten complacent.
In an interview with NFL Media's Michael Irvin, which aired Thursday morning on Good Morning Football, Elliott was asked about the expectations riding on his shoulders.
"This is what I've worked my whole life for and I wouldn't have it any other way," he said. "I'm excited for the season, I'm excited to start this journey and I'm ready to go kick some ass."
The last part of that quote wasn't lost on Elliott's teammates, who have picked up on the supposed swagger of the young running back.
"I love his confidence," Dez Bryant told Irvin. "I love the swagger about him. I think whenever you ballin' and you come from Ohio State you full of swagger, so I think that gives us some things to work with and a lot of confidence in him."
While this weekend means the highly-anticipated debut of many rookies, Elliott represents an unknown commodity to the greater NFL community. At the moment, all we have are rave practice reviews, hype-quotes like the one from Bryant and hours of tape that make Elliott a safe bet for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Before he makes good on his promise to kick some butt, he'll have to weather the difficulty that comes with waiting to get off the sidelines.
