Cowboys’ Elliott vows to clear his name
NEW YORK Ezekiel Elliott felt a “burst of adrenalin” surge through the Dallas Cowboys’ locker-room after a court freed him to play Sunday rather than begin a six-game suspension. He also blasted the claims against him, saying: “I’m not an abuser.”
“My energy level is high like the rest of this team,” the star running back said at his locker after a federal appeals judge in New York ruled Friday he can play at least one more game — at home against Kansas City — before a three-judge panel takes up his case. His status after Sunday will be decided by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, perhaps as early as next week.
Elliott assailed what he said was the NFL’s attempt to muddy his name, saying a prolonged fight in the courts was worthwhile.
“This is bigger than a suspension. It’s bigger than football. Them trying to make me something I’m not. I’m not an abuser,” he said.
“That’s not who I am. This is my name and this is my reputation. This is something I’m going to have to live with beyond football. Every day is worth fighting.”
Elliott said he “threw a sweatshirt on, grabbed my backpack and was on my way here” as soon as his agent notified him Friday morning. He was away from the team for three days because of the suspension.
“I kind of felt, a little bit, it seemed like a burst of adrenalin in this team when I came in the locker-room and everyone saw me and realized I was going this week,” he said.
The Elliott suspension came after the NFL investigated his alleged use of force in the summer of 2016 against his girlfriend.
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 to Judge Katherine Polk Failla’s ruling Monday that Elliott must begin his suspension.
An immediate appeal by the NFL Players Association to the 2nd Circuit won a one-game reprieve Friday.