Austin Ekeler on NFL longevity

Commanders running back with some wisdom about playing longer as a running back in the NFL.

Transcript

00:00There's a lot right there, but it seems to me what you're saying is, look, I want the ball.

00:03I want to help you out. I've got some versatility, but I don't mind sharing the ball either.

00:07In fact, it might work out better that way.

00:09So you want to make that point. I want to go back to doing what I do.

00:12And that's catch the ball, run the ball.

00:14And it prompted an interesting response from former back Tiki Barber.

00:18He saw that and said, quote, dude, you couldn't get me off the field, end of quote.

00:22Austin, what's your response to that?

00:25Well, look, we all have we all have our own perspective of, you know,

00:29how we want to play and what our career is going to be.

00:32For me, I'm trying to feel good after the games.

00:34I want to make sure that I can play a long time and be as effective as I possibly can.

00:38In today's game, you know, for me anyway, at, you know, 5'8", 195,

00:44I like to have some type of low that's taken off.

00:47I don't want to be carrying the rock the entirety of the game.

00:50I want to have the ability to, after the game, feel really good,

00:53have a better chance of getting through the season as it gets longer and more physical.

00:57And so for me, it's that's my balance.

00:59That's what I'm looking for.

01:00And when I'm in that scenario, I feel like I'm able to play at my best.

01:04And that's when you're going to get the best efficiency out of Austin.

01:07I remember, I think it was 2019 where Melvin Gordon and I were really going back and forth

01:13with the backfield.

01:13I almost had a thousand receiving yards.

01:16And then like 11 touchdowns and still had like 600 rushing yards,

01:21still putting up great production.

01:23And I was so efficient.

01:24My body felt so good after games.

01:26And I was able to recover and feel really good for the next game too.

01:29So, you know, he can play how he wants to play, but that's his perspective now.

01:33So he's going to do what he wants to.