Does Ezekiel Elliott Regret Joining Patriots? Veteran Back Opens Up

Ezekiel Elliott thought the Patriots had a chance to be a playoff team when he decided to take his talents to Foxboro, Mass., late in the summer.

Well, that proved to be a pretty significant misjudgment on the part of the veteran running back.

Not only is New England a virtual lock to miss the postseason, but Bill Belichick's team is well on its way to finishing the campaign with a top-10 2024 draft pick. Patriots players now are forced to trudge through a season that turned into a lost one even before the halfway point.

So, does Elliott regret signing with New England rather than a team with more legitimate playoff aspirations? The three-time Pro Bowl selection answered that question in the lead-up to the Patriots' Week 7 home game against the Buffalo Bills.

"No second thoughts based on the way it's gone," Elliott told ESPN's Mike Reiss. "You make a decision and you ride it out. I chose to be a part of this team and I'm going to do everything I can to help us turn this thing around and get us going."

One has to wonder whether Elliott simply was using media speak there. In addition to the Patriots' ongoing struggles, the 28-year-old's role in New England might have him regretting his free agency choice. Elliott only logged one game with more than eight carries across the Patriots' first six contests.

But as Elliott touched on, he has no choice but to try and make the most of New England's remaining slate. That starts with Sunday's tilt against Josh Allen and company at Gillette Stadium.