FOXBORO -- Ezekiel Elliott smiled wide behind a microphone at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. He's often smiling wide these days. Even as the Patriots slog through a lost season.
"We play a kid's game for a king's ransom," Elliott said when describing the reason why he maintains a positive outlook. "Any time I get to go out there and play football, I'm excited. How could you not be?"
And the Patriots should be excited to have him. On a one-year, $3 million deal signed before the season, Elliott is arguably the team's best free-agent addition of 2023. His best game of the year came last week in a win over the Steelers, with top back Rhamondre Stevenson out, as he racked up 29 offensive touches for 140 total yards and a receiving touchdown.
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Elliott, 28, said he believes there's a "narrative" being constructed about running backs that they should be considered old by the time they get to his age.
"I'm looking forward to proving them wrong," Elliott said. "... I've got a lot of gas in the tank. Definitely felt good to have the performance I did last week."
Belichick described Elliott's game in Pittsburgh as "professional" recently, and Elliott noted Wednesday that he believes part of being a professional -- particularly given his level of experience -- is to impart knowledge on his younger teammates. If they're watching closely, they're seeing a player with competitive stamina who approaches his job with a certain standard in mind. Even as the team sports one of the worst records in the NFL.
Though his time in New England has been short, he's appeared to be the kind of tone-setter the Patriots would like to keep around as they approach a rebuild for 2024 and beyond. For his part, he's not ruling that out.
"It's definitely been a good experience," Elliott said when asked if he'd like to re-sign. "I love playing with Rhamondre. I love this team. I love this city. So I think I'd be open to it."