ZEKE DEFEAT
A Manhattan federal appeals court denied a request to delay a six-game suspension for Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott — taking him out of at least Dallas’ next four games, beginning with Sunday’s at Atlanta.
A three-judge panel of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals denied Elliott’s request to further delay his suspension for domestic violence. The ruling came down less than two hours after his NFL Players Association lawyers appeared in court to argue that the suspension should be delayed as they pursue their lawsuit arguing that he was improperly punished.
The Players Association’s expedited appeal is scheduled for the 2nd Circuit on Dec. 1, according to NFL Network, so Elliott will miss each game until then. If his appeal is unsuccessful, he would remain out until Week 16, a Dec. 24 game against the Seahawks in Arlington, Texas.
Elliott appeared for the hearing, but refused to take questions afterward, hiding behind a courthouse column until his driver arrived to sweep him and his entourage away.
A few hours later, the judges posted their two-paragraph decision.
“Upon due consideration, it is hereby ordered that the appellant’s motion for an injunction pending appeal is denied because the appellant has failed to meet the requisite standard,” the threejudge panel said.
Although the league won the battle, the appeals judges took a few shots at the NFL for its han- dling of the suspension of a 22year-old athlete who will be sidelined while he’s second in the league with 783 yards rushing and tied for the league lead with seven rushing touchdowns.
Circuit Judge Dennis Jacobs told Paul Clement, the NFL’s lawyer, that he found it odd that the issue was “such a frantic emergency that it can’t wait another couple months.”
“This is not just about Elliott and the Cowboys,” Clement responded, noting that 100 players across the league had been suspended for a total of 500 games over the last two seasons.
Elliott was suspended at the start of the season after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell found that Elliott beat his ex-girlfriend Tiffany Thompson in Columbus, Ohio, on multiple occasions in July 2016.
The NFL said it found “substantial and persuasive evidence supporting a finding that [Elliott] engaged in physical violence,” including photographs Thompson posted to her Instagram account of bruising to her arms, neck, hands and legs, which she said came from Elliott.
The running back wasn’t charged with a crime, however, because of “conflicting and inconsistent information,” according to the Columbus City Attorney’s Office.
In addition to the six-game suspension without pay, Elliott was ordered to undergo counseling, which he also will have to begin now that the punishment is in effect.