Both Ezekiel Elliott and Bill Belichick may have participated in their final games as members of the New England Patriots on Sunday, and afterward, Elliott wanted Belichick to know how much he appreciated him.
“I feel very lucky to play for the best coach ever,” Elliott said, via Zack Cox of NESN.
In spite of the Patriots finishing just 4-13, their worst mark in Belichick’s 24 years as head coach, Elliott added that it was a “fun season.”
Elliott signed a one-year deal with New England last offseason. The running back played in every game this year, rushing for 642 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 3.5 yards per carry. He also caught 51 passes for 313 yards and a couple of scores.
The 28-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Ohio State, was originally selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the fourth overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft.
He spent the first seven years of his career with the Cowboys and stamped his name among the best halfbacks in the league during his time there, making three Pro Bowl appearances while also earning a First-Team All-Pro selection. He led the NFL in rushing yards twice during his Dallas tenure.
Over the last several years, however, Elliott’s production has declined, which led to the Cowboys releasing him last March. He ultimately inked a contract with the Pats back in August.
Meanwhile, Belichick could be on the hot seat following the worst season of his career.
Belichick has led the Patriots to six Super Bowl championships and nine Super Bowl appearances while also guiding the franchise to 17 AFC East division titles. As a result, he is widely considered the greatest coach in NFL history.
However, since Tom Brady departed via free agency in March 2020, Belichick has gone just 29-38 with only one playoff appearance.
We’ll see if Ezekiel Elliott and Bill Belichick are spending their time elsewhere in 2024.
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