Maurice Jones-Drew joined the Oakland Raiders this offseason amid queries about whether the three-time All Pro had anything left in the tank.
His career-low average of 3.4 yards per carry in 2013 followed an injury-plagued 2012 campaign and had MJD considering hanging up his spikes.
"For awhile, I was contemplating retirement because I just didn't feel like I had it anymore," Jones-Drew told the Los Angeles Times earlier this month. "But that wasn't the case. My trainer helped me get back in shape and gain that foundation that I'd lost with the surgery."
MJD, 29, had never earned a per carry average of under 4.2 prior to last year's struggles. The back nicknamed "Pocket Hercules" struggled with his burst last season and didn't display his former breakaway ability in the secondary.
"I watched the same tape and I'd say, 'Man, why'd I do this? Why didn't I do that?'" he said. "Part of it was, just physically, I wasn't able to do some of the same things I'm used to doing."
It's not the first time MJD questioned his ability, telling the Jaguars official website last September he wondered during training camp if he could "do this anymore." Now with the Raiders, Jones-Drew said he is in the best shape of his life and ready to shoulder the workload alongside Darren McFadden.
The duo, which quarterback Matt Schaub ambitiously dubbed "as good as I've been around in all my years," will be counted on to carry the offense as the Raiders work out the rest of their offensive question marks.
*The latest "Around The League Podcast" ranks the league's top tight ends and debates Andrew Luck vs. Cam Newton. *
