Elliott loses appeal, won’t play Sunday
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott’s half-season run from his six-game suspension ended yesterday when a federal appeals court refused to let him play while it considers his appeal.
A bespectacled NFL Elliott in a suit and tie sat directly in front of a three-judge panel in New York that considered a request from the NFL Players Association that he be allowed to play.
But the court issued an order in less than an hour disqualifying him from Sunday’s game at Atlanta.
It appears he’ll miss all of November’s games since the court set a Dec.1 hearing for oral arguments on the union’s appeal.
The suspension was ordered in August as discipline after the league investigated allegations he used force against his girlfriend in the summer of 2016. Elliott vehemently denied the allegations as recently as last week, saying he was not an abuser.
A federal appeals court last month tossed out his court challenge in Texas, but the league’s request for a New York court to affirm that it had acted properly led a judge to rule last month that Elliott must begin his suspension.
After the union appealed, the lower-court decision was temporarily stayed, allowing Elliott to play last Sunday. Elliott has received three different legal reprieves as he played the season’s first eight games . . . .
The NFL expects a fiveyear contract extension with commissioner Roger Goodell to be finalized soon despite a threatened lawsuit by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. The extension would carry through 2024. Goodell became commissioner in 2006. The league said it is aware of Jones’ potential lawsuit, which apparently has been sparked by Elliott’s six-game suspension.
Hawks top Cards
Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes to Jimmy Graham and the Seattle Seahawks added to their history of success in Arizona with a 22-16 victory over the Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz.
The Seahawks (6-3) limited Adrian Peterson to 29 yards on 21 carries in a game marred by a host of injuries, including a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon to Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman.
Wilson, sacked a season-high five times, completed 22-of-32 passes for 238 yards. Arizona’s Drew Stanton, in his second start since Carson Palmer went down with a broken arm, completed 24-of-47 for 273 yards and a touchdown. Larry Fitzgerald caught 10 passes for 113 yards for the Cardinals (4-5), topping 15,000 yards receiving for his career in the process.
The night’s biggest play came early in the fourth quarter. With his team leading 15-10, Wilson scrambled and spun his way out of serious trouble repeatedly before throwing from his heels to Doug Baldwin. Antoine Bethea fell down trying to knock the pass away and Baldwin raced downfield on a 54-yard play to the Arizona 2-yard line. Wilson threw 2 yards to Graham on the next play and the Seahawks led 22-10 with 12:49 to play.
Colts cut CB Davis
The Indianapolis Colts released two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis less than 24 hours after he complained about how the team handled his demotion.
He also said he wasn’t playing well because of a groin injury that had not completely healed. Indy acquired Davis in a trade from Miami in August 2012. His four-year, $36 million contract was to expire after the season . . . .
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh sat out practice because of a knee injury but hopes to play Monday against Carolina. Suh left Sunday’s loss to Oakland due to the injury, and returned to finish the game. He hasn’t missed a start because of injury in his eight-year career.