Cowboys' Jaydon Blue seems to know who to blame for disappointing season

The Dallas Cowboys made promising running back Jaydon Blue a fifth-round pick during the 2025 NFL Draft, but he looked more like a bust than a potential starter by the time his rookie season came to an end. 

It sounds like Blue knows who to blame for why he endured what became a disappointing debut pro campaign. 

Jaydon Blue needed to improve "maturity level" with Cowboys

"I didn’t start off like I should have," Blue recently acknowledged, as Jon Machota of The Athletic shared on Thursday. "Maybe if it was not practicing the right way or just on a maturity level, I think I wasn’t really there. But just learning from all the vets, having the offseason that I’ve had, I think I’m ready to go."

Blue didn't make his regular-season debut until Week 5, and he ultimately received carries across just five contests. In total, he accumulated 129 rushing yards and one touchdown on 38 attempts. 

"Just looking back on the things I didn’t do too well and some of the reasons I wasn’t on the field last year, taking the stuff my coaches were saying and making sure I apply them, whether that’s this offseason or when I’m by myself," Blue explained.

Jaydon Blue had to look himself "in the mirror" after rough rookie season

For a different article posted on Thursday, ESPN's Todd Archer mentioned how Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer recently insisted that he noticed a "night and day" difference in Blue during this year's offseason program. Meanwhile, Blue said he is using all that he experienced last season as "motivation" heading into training camp. 

"The game has slowed down completely for me," Blue added. "I just think I’m a completely different person than what I was at this time last year. I think it was just me looking myself in the mirror and (figuring out) why I wasn’t on the field like I should have been last year. Knowing how bad I want to be a part of this offense and how big of a piece I could be for this offense helped me out a lot."

A Cowboys offense that features quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and fellow wideout George Pickens is expected to be a high-powered unit. Blue clearly wants to be a major contributor for that offense. 

“I think I made a 180 from where I was last year," Blue continued. "I think I’ve gotten a lot better, whether that’s the football part, the physical part, my body, I feel really good. I’m just ready to go."