Judge blocks Elliott’s 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 he had several physical confrontations last summer with Tiffany Thompson, a former girlfriend.
Prosecutors in Ohio didn’t pursue the case, citing conflicting evidence. Elliott has denied Thompson’s allegations. Chiefs’ Berry out for season: 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 night’s 42-27 victory over the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, not only ending his season but leaving the Chiefs without one of the most
visible and vocal leaders on their defense. Patriots poised to fix
issues: The New England Patriots couldn’t hide from the parade of mistakes that culminated in their 42-27 season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.
There were issues all over the field, from an offense that went just 3 for 6 in the red zone and struggled in short yardage, to a defense that gave up several big plays and allowed the most points of the Bill Belichick era.
Donaldson will miss opener: Holdout all-pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald has been officially ruled out of the Los Angeles Rams’ season opener.
Donald is due to make just $1.8 million this season and roughly $6.9 million in 2018 under the terms of his rookie deal. The Rams agree he is worth far more, but they haven’t been able to agree on a number with Donald’s representatives. Kicker gets suspended again: Former New York Giants kicker Josh
Brown has been suspended for a second time by the NFL for his repeated abuse of his former wife while they were married.
The league Friday suspended the 38-yearold free agent for six more games after taking a long second look at documents released by authorities.
Brown previously served a one-game suspension last season but was not charged in the case.