Los Angeles Lakers President of Basketball Operations magic johnson has urged the rising Dallas Cowboys star, Ezekiel Elliott, to change for his own good.
Elliott, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft, so far has been making headlines for good and bad reasons. Elliott is currently being investigated for domestic violence claims made by his ex-girlfriend. The 2014 Big Ten champion needs to remind himself of the path he's been through before he loses it all, according to Johnson.
''Zeke, you waited your whole life, man. Pop Warner, junior high football, high school football, on to college, to get to the NFL,'' Johnson said during his appearance on Tuesday's ESPN's First Take. ''The platform that you are on is the biggest in the NFL, that being the Dallas Cowboys. You've gotten away five times with things. Brother, you gotta get your life together, man.''
The Cowboys, Elliott's family...
Johnson has also acknowledged Elliott is not the only who will be paying the price for the incidents. The NFL, who has no sympathy toward any incidents such as domestic violence, handed a six-game ban to Elliott.
However, he played in Week 1 in Cowboys opener against the New York Giants, after he was granted a preliminary injunction on Friday by Federal Judge Amos Mazzant. Previously, Elliott fired back as he has filed a complaint against the league. When the Ohio State product will serve his suspension remains to be seen.
''You're going to ruin it not only for yourself but for your family as well,'' Johnson acknowledged. ''And I'm disappointed in him, that he hasn't realized that he has to change. You've got to change.''
Johnson, 58, also noted to Elliott that he can "have fun'" but there a line which he simply can't cross. The Lakers legend also revealed he will follow Elliott as he is interested to see whether or not the running back will change.
Johnson a fan of Elliott's game
Johnson's intention is to help Elliott as he is a fan of the running back's game. The 22-year-old led the league in rushing yards and made the Pro Bowl in his rookie year. Elliott didn't disappoint against the Giants as well, rushing for 104 yards on 24 attempts in the Cowboys' Week 1 19-3 win. We will see if he continues that performance for the rest of the year.
''And so I'm cheering for him. I like how he plays the game of football,'' Johnson revealed. ''But he has got to change his mindset on 'hey, I'm this big star and I can do whatever I want' because it's not like that.''