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Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is one of the most polarizing figures in the NFL. Everyone knows about his standout play with the Ohio State Buckeyes and how well he has done since coming into the league. He is more than just the guy who wore half a shirt at Ohio State and jumps into Salvation Army Kettles celebrating touchdowns.
Lets break down four things you need to know about Zeke.
4. Elliott's dog is an Instagram superstar
Elliott owns two dogs, but only Ace is famous enough to have his own Instagram account. The last post on the Instagram account was over a year ago, but he still has 44,000 followers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhzp4JRHvis/
It's unclear if Elliott plans to continue to post about Ace on Instagram, but if he does that would make the followers very happy.
His other dog Chase was stolen when someone cut a hole through the fence to take him, but he was later returned.
3. Comes from an athletic family
Elliott was born into some very good genes, which helps explain why he has been such a standout athlete. His mom was a high school champion in three sports before she attended the University of Missouri to run track.
His dad was a linebacker for the Tigers football team. His grandmother also played basketball at Drake University.
Elliott did follow in his mother's footsteps, running track and field in high school and he was a standout. He won four state championships (100-meter dash, 200, 110 high hurdles, and 300 hurdles) in a little under 2.5 hours. That impressive feat was enough to be named the Gatorade Track Athlete of the year in the state of Missouri.
2. Elliott was a strong student-athlete
A lot of players who know they have NFL talent will not take their studies seriously and will just focus on football, but that wasn't the case with Elliott.
He had a 3.0 GPA at Ohio State while studying for a marketing degree. He won multiple student-athlete awards, including in 2015 when he won the AAU Sullivan Award.
The AAU James E. Sullivan Award annually recognizes the outstanding amateur athlete whose outstanding athletic accomplishments are complemented by qualities of leadership, character and sportsmanship. Winners achieve great success on a national and/or international stage through competition in collegiate athletics, Olympic pursuit or similar high profile competitions. Presented by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), the AAU Sullivan Award symbolizes the fostering of a community of respected amateur athletes whose example provides a great model to our AAU athletes.
1. His first paycheck went to his parents…kind of
After getting his first paycheck with the Cowboys, Elliott bought his parents a house in the St. Louis Area. He grew up in a tight-knit family and his dad even moved to Columbus while he played for the Buckeyes.
Elliott has talked about how his parents always put the kid's needs and wishes first and made a lot of sacrifices so he could be a high-level athlete. The least he could do was give them a little back by purchasing a house.
