There have been many concerns surrounding Ezekiel Elliott's on-field commitment to the Dallas Cowboys, and the star running back has finally broken his silence on the matter.

Ellliott put on a heck of a career during his collegiate days with Ohio State University, racking up over 1,800 yards in each of his two years as a starter with over 18 touchdowns each season as well. Elliott was one of the most amazing prospects to come out of college, which is why the Dallas Cowboys had no issues taking him with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. His first year as a pro in the National Football League (NFL) was a raging success, rushing for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns.

This season hasn't been a very successful one for the 22-year-old so far, however, as we approach Week Three of the NFL season. In Week Two the Cowboys suffered a nasty 25 point loss to the Denver Broncos, but it's how Elliott handled himself while down in the game that really rubbed some the wrong way.

After an interception by quarterback Dak Prescott, Elliott showed an extreme lack of effort in attempt to go after the ball and make a tackle. This really upset NFL Hall Of Fame running-back LaDainian Tomlinson. 

Earlier today Elliott got the opportunity to respond to the criticism by his fellow players, and here's what he had to say (quotes via NFL.com):

"I definitely heard it. I guess you could say it looked like that," Elliott said Thursday. "I would say I was just very frustrated, but that's no excuse for the lack of effort I showed on tape.

"And I just can't do that. Being one of the leaders on the team and being a guy that people count on, I can't put that type of stuff on film.

"It's definitely not me," he said. "It's definitely not the type of player I am. It's definitely not who I am for this team. I just can't do that. I was frustrated and I wasn't myself.

"We really don't care what you guys say," he said. "We don't care what the critics say. We don't go out there and play for you guys. We don't go out there and play for the talking heads. We don't go out there to play for you guys to say we did well.

"We go out there and play for each other. We go out there to win ballgames. We go out there to have each other's back. So that's our motivation. We don't need anything extra."

What are your thoughts on Elliot's comments regarding the criticism he has been taking for his lack of effort on the field? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: http://gms.to/writeforgms