Ezekiel Elliott not winning fans in the media; Does it matter?

After a very curt interview with the media, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is not winning many fans in the media. But does it really matter?

After a serving a six-game suspension for suspected domestic violence, All-Pro running back Ezekiel Elliott made his triumphed return to the Dallas Cowboys earlier this week. Without their best player in the lineup, the Cowboys went 3-3 and have been able to somehow keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

With two weeks left in the regular season, the return of Zeke in Dallas is seen as a major lift for a Cowboys team that initially struggled to put up points without him. Appearing to be in the best shape of his life following his six-week ban, Elliott clearly worked on his physical conditioning during his time away.

Allegedly spending the bulk of his suspension near Cabo San Lucas in Mexico, Elliott was also rumored to have visited with other sports figures like Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson, golfer Tiger Woods and two-time World Series championship pitcher Roger Clemens.

But upon his return to Dallas, Elliott didn’t want to talk about his time away. That’s despite the fact a documentary is in the works about those mysterious six-weeks.

Instead, when Elliott spoke to the media this week, the 22-year old was quick to shutdown any talk about the past six weeks. He refused to go into details about his physical conditioning, what he learned from his time away, what he had been doing or even about the documentary itself. The “new” Zeke, who shaved a good portion of his beard to display the alleged change that had taken place inside, wanted only to focus on the future.

But by doing so, the immaturity that Elliott has displayed in the past, which is at least partly to blame for many of his questionable decisions off-the-field, once again reared it’s ugly head. Zeke became visibly frustrated early into the interview and quickly cut it short. The young man really did himself a disservice by stiff-arming the media, who were simply asking very relevant questions about his time spent away from the team.

You can watch the interview in question here.

As his first real time in front of the media in nearly two months, this was a bad look for Elliott. No fans, this isn’t a “new” Zeke. This is the same 22-year old who has made some very questionable choices the past couple of years. And maybe that’s okay.

Hall of Fame players don’t have to be good people or even kind to the media. In fact, some fans will undoubtedly argue you need all different kinds of players and personality-types on a team in order to find Super Bowl-level success. The “right kind of player” ideal is a fluid concept, counter balanced with talent.

Due to his past sins, whether they be true sins or not, Elliott is unlikely to ever be the advertising darling that Dak Prescott is right now. The fact is Zeke doesn’t need to win fans in the media. He doesn’t even need them to sell his upcoming documentary. Elliott doesn’t need the press to like him as a person.

Next: Dallas Cowboys - History shows playoff help should arrive

But my only question is: Does Ezekiel Elliott truly understand that there is a game to be played both on and off-the-field? Because to me, it appears Zeke’s unwillingness to talk about the past six weeks only amplifies how much he hasn’t learned through this entire ordeal. But does it really matter?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Ezekiel Elliott’s recent interview. Please leave them in the comment section below.