Judge blocks Elliott’s 6-game suspension
A federal judge has blocked Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott’s six-game suspension over a domestic violence case, setting the stage for a potentially lengthy legal fight with the NFL.
Last year’s league rushing leader was already cleared to play in the opener against the New York Giants on Sunday night before the ruling by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on Friday.
Mazzant agreed with union lawyers that Elliott didn’t receive a “fundamentally fair” hearing in his appeal, and he granted the NFL Players’ Association request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking the league’s punishment.
Elliott was suspended by Commissioner Roger Goodell in August after the league concluded that he had several physical confrontations last summer with Tiffany Thompson, a former girlfriend.
Prosecutors in Ohio didn’t pursue the case. Elliott has denied Thompson’s allegations. Browns, police to unite: The Cleveland Browns will take the field Sunday with some area police and firefighters in a pregame show of unity. The groups will then stand together for the national anthem.
Days after the violence in Charlottesville, Va., where neo-Nazis clashed with opposition groups, more than a dozen Browns players knelt in prayer in a circle on Cleveland’s sideline during the national anthem before a preseason game.
Amid a backlash, several players felt their display was misinterpreted and wanted to do something more to reach out to the community. Brown suspended again: Former New York Giants kicker Josh Brown was suspended for a second time by the NFL for his repeated abuse of his former wife while they were married.
The 38-year-old free agent was banned for six more games after the league took a second look at documents released by authorities in the state of Washington from their investigation into his domestic abuse arrest in 2015. Brown previously served a one-game suspension at the start of last season after the league’s initial investigation. He was not charged in the case. Berry out for year: One of the biggest season-opening wins in Chiefs history came at the expense of their All-Pro safety. Eric Berry ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s 42-27 victory over the New England Patriots, ending his season. Briefly: The NFL has apologized for an “unacceptable” tweet that likened the Chiefs’ victory over the Patriots to a deadly earthquake that shook Mexico . ... Holdout All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald has been ruled out of the Rams’ season opener.