Stacking Up Ezekiel Elliott’s NFL Successes Against His Girlfriend Troubles

Some people believe that stars are made while others believe they are born. In the case of Ezekiel Elliott, it is only fair to say that he is a product of both. The NFL star comes from a lineage of successful athletes and has equally paid his dues when it comes to getting it right on the football field.

A running back, Ezekiel is a strong visionary player who has the ability to excel in every facet of the game. This trait has won him the admiration and love of millions of football fans. It has also seen him garner numerous achievements, including three Pro-Bowl selections, as many have tipped him to go on to become one of the best that the NFL has ever seen at his position. The player’s bright future has, however, been threatened by several incidents.

Where His NFL Journey Began

The NFL star was born Ezekiel Elijah Elliott on the 22nd of July, 1995. His birthplace is Alton, Illinois, and he hails from a line of successful athletes. His father, Stacy Elliott, played college football for the Missouri Tigers while his mother, Dawn, was equally a standout athlete at Missouri University.

Ezekiel spent his formative years in Missouri and was raised alongside his two sisters; Lailah and Aaliyah. He attended John Burroughs School in Ladue, Missouri where he participated in different sports; basketball, football, and track. The young man, however, excelled only at football and track, earning the Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year award in Missouri.

Soon after he graduated from high school, Ezekiel Elliott enrolled at Ohio State University. He continued his giant strides there and set several school records as a part of the Buckeyes football team. He recorded a total of 3,961 rushing yards, 43 touchdowns, and 58 receptions throughout his three-year stint at Ohio and received several individual honors, including the Big Ten Most Valuable Player and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year awards in 2015.

Ezekiel Elliott Took the NFL by Storm

Having finished his college career as one of the best prospects, Ezekiel Elliott was projected to be among the top picks of the 2016 NFL draft. On draft day, he was the fourth player to be selected overall as his rights went to the Dallas Cowboys. The running back subsequently penned down a four-year deal worth $24.9 million with the franchise on the 18th of May 2016.

Joining the team, Elliott won the starting shirt and made his first professional appearance in the team’s season-opener against the New York Giants. During the game, he recorded his first career touchdown and also made 20 rushing attempts for 51 yards. Ezekiel continued this impressive form throughout his rookie season and finished with 1,631 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 32 receptions. As a result of this brilliant performance, he received several honors, including an invitation to the Pro Bowl, and All-Pro and All-Rookie team selections. He also made history as one of the few rookies to have amassed over 1,000 rushing yards in a season in the NFL.

Since that astonishing debut, Ezekiel Elliott has continued to dazzle the NFL with his stats. He finished the 2018 season with a total of 1,434 rushing yards, 77 receptions, and six touchdowns and received his second Pro Bowl selection. He similarly recorded 54 receptions, 12 touchdowns, and 1,357 yards in the 2019 season and received another Pro Bowl call-up. The only season that Elliott missed out on such an honor was the 2017 season and this was down to his legal troubles.

The Relationship With His Former Girlfriend Landed Him In Trouble with the Law

Ezekiel Elliott has had several run-ins with the law. The first was in July 2016 when his ex-girlfriend, Tiffany Thompson, accused him of physically assaulting her. She alleged that he abused her about five times during their relationship by choking her until she was gasping for breath and throwing her across the room and at a wall. The lady also shared pictures of her bruises on Instagram.

Following such a damning revelation, Elliott was investigated by the city attorney in Columbus, Ohio, but was not arrested. The Player maintained his innocence and after investigations, the authorities revealed that there had been some incidents of violence. They, however, declined to press charges given inconsistencies in witness statements. The NFL, on its part, also investigated the matter. They eventually found Elliott guilty in August 2016 and suspended him for six games without pay. The player, however, challenged his suspension in several courts and the matter dragged till about November 2017 when he decided to accept his fate. He thus served his suspension between mid-November and early December of that year.

Following that debacle, Ezekiel Elliott kept his nose clean and avoided trouble. He, however, made the headlines in May 2019 for pushing a staffer, Kyle Johnson, at a music festival in Las Vegas. Elliott was briefly detained but not arrested. After being let go by the police, he apologized to Johnson. The NFL once more investigated the incident but decided not to punish the player as he had not violated their personal conduct policy. Elliott welcomed this decision and apologized once more for his actions. He also promised to improve his conduct. His victim, on the other hand, was not happy with the two outcomes and decided to press charges in August. The matter, however, did not see the light of day.

He Has Moved On To A New Girlfriend

Ezekiel Elliott has for the time being put his demons behind him and is forging ahead with his career. Another thing or person that is taking his mind off his troubles is his present girlfriend, Halle Woodard.

Woodard is a native of Iowa and was born in November 1992. She obtained her education at Iowa State University and consequently qualified as a nurse. She now practices her profession and has other side gigs as a personal trainer and bartender. Elliott and Halle commenced their relationship in 2017 but briefly broke up in May 2019. They unfollowed each other on Instagram at that time but later got back in September 2019.

The couple has remained together ever since then and their love has waxed stronger. Elliott has also introduced his girl to his family and as such, she has attended family events including thanksgiving dinner in 2019 and his sister, Lailah’s 21st birthday bash. Additionally, Woodard is quite close to Elliott’s mom, Dawn. Dawn regularly showers praises on her on Instagram and on the occasion of her 26th birthday, she described her as an intelligent and beautiful young woman. Dawn also stated that she was claiming Halle as her own even though she was not her biological daughter.