Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott says he learned an important lesson about life in the NFL on a recent trip to Washington for a preseason game. If he thought life as the big man on campus at Ohio State was eye-opening, he hasn’t seen anything yet.
For a brief refresher, Elliott was spotted in a marijuana store in Seattle recently, just hours before he and the Cowboys were scheduled to play the Seattle Seahawks in a preseason game. It is legal to sell and buy marijuana in the state of Washington, and perhaps Elliott just wanted to experience the local business life for himself. There are no indications Elliott made any purchases at the store, although Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was not too pleased about seeing his next franchise running back surfacing in such a video.
Now, after reflecting on his latest off-field headlines, Elliott says he is quickly learning just how much he needs to think about putting himself in the right position off the field.
“You definitely have to think of the perception of things before you actually do certain things,” Elliott said Monday. “It may not seem like it’s a big deal to you yourself, but there’s a bigger picture.
“It’s definitely a learning experience about the scrutiny. You just have to be careful and not give anybody a chance to say anything.”
Truer words were never spoken. For Elliott, this is just the latest negative story to follow him before his first career game, although this is a very minor headline compared to what others have faced, including himself.
Earlier this summer, Elliott was accused of domestic assault, an allegation which he denies. The Cowboys have backed up Elliott in his denial and the case went under investigation in late July. That investigation continues to drag on.
Visiting a marijuana store may not be the end of the world, especially as the country continues to be more progressive about it, but things are different in the NFL. The NFL handles marijuana much more conservatively despite those wishing the league would reassess its stance on marijuana.
Right now, Elliott and others need to know walking into a marijuana store on game day is not going to be received well, even if the drug is legal in a certain state. That’s just how the rules are written, for now.
[ESPN]
