Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue (23) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Former Texas Longhorns RB Jaydon Blue Responds to 'Lazy' Criticism

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Zach Dimmitt | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 4:44 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue is being met with some harsh criticisms ahead of his rookie season in the NFL after being a fifth-round draft pick.

The Texas Longhorns standout was recently put on blast by former Cowboys assistant coach Glenn "Stretch" Smith during a podcast appearance with Locked on Cowboys, where Blue was called "borderline lazy" for allegedly skipping some workouts with Dallas this offseason.

"I'm already hearing some rumblings out of the building about the running back that they drafted and him being, you know, kind of just borderline lazy, not in the building, doing his off-season workouts," Smith said. "So maybe he's saying, hey, one Longhorn to the other Longhorn, get your a** in here and let's get going a little bit. Because I think that that's a firm message that needs to be sent."

Jaydon Blue Responds

With the soundbite making the rounds across social media, Blue caught wind of it and responded on Instagram.

"Taking time out of your day to make a fake article about me for attention," Blue wrote.

Take a look:

Jaydon Blue’s response to this article via his IG:#HookEm | #Texas | #DallasCowboys https://t.co/39J0yC8XlE pic.twitter.com/AZoesZjrS8
— Cory Mose (@Cory_Mose) July 18, 2025

Blue's final season at Texas last year career was far from perfect, as he dealt with fumbling issues and was subsequently benched.

Regardless, he maintained a team-first attitude and it paid off in the long run by hearing his named called in the 2025 draft. Blue eventually worked his way back into the offense alongside Wisner and had about as strong an end to the season as you could ask for from a guy who got benched to begin SEC play.

In the final six games of the season, which included the SEC Championship and three College Football Playoff games, Blue had six touchdowns. This was highlighted by his career-best performance against the Clemson Tigers in the CFP quarterfinals when Blue finished with 14 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns.

In the CFP Semifinals against Ohio State, Blue was responsible for both Texas touchdowns on passes from Quinn Ewers in the 28-14 loss.

Lazy? Far from it. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has made it clear during his tenure that "the standard is the standard." Blue would have never made his way back into the rotation for being "lazy," as it's something the coaching staff simply wouldn't have settled for.

Given the Cowboys' current backfield, Blue could potentially see starter-worthy reps at some point during the season depending on how Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams perform.

The Cowboys will begin the preseason at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 9.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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