On Friday, a Texas district court ruled Ezekiel Eliott’s six-game suspension won’t begin until after he’s had a chance to fight the NFL in court.
A district court judge in Texas has granted Ezekiel Elliott’s request for a temporary restraining order, which should clear the way for the Dallas Cowboys running back to remain on the field while he tries to get his six-game suspension overturned in court.
An NFL arbitrator earlier this week upheld the six-game suspension commissioner Roger Goodell gave Elliott last month for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy.
The NFL’s next move would be to appeal district judge Amos Mazzant’s ruling to a 5th circuit appeals court, but that process would take months.
This case, at this point, is as much or more about the NFLPA fighting what they perceive to be the league’s abuse of the CBA in court as it is about Elliott’s conduct, and the district court judge went as far as to call out the league’s suspension and investigative practices:
BREAKING: Ezekiel Elliott wins injunction from Texas court. NFL barred from imposing suspension for duration of lawsuit (likely all season).
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) September 8, 2017
Judge Mazzant: "The Court finds the NFL further sought to ensure that the NFLPA and Elliott would never find out about Roberts’s opinions"
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) September 8, 2017
PI Granted:Court finds EE didn't "receive a fundamentally fair hearing,necessitating the Court grant the request for preliminary injunction"
— Gabe Feldman (@SportsLawGuy) September 8, 2017
Judge: "This case presents unique and egregious facts, necessitating court intervention."
— Gabe Feldman (@SportsLawGuy) September 8, 2017
Judge: "The circumstances of this case are unmatched by any case this Court has seen"
— Gabe Feldman (@SportsLawGuy) September 8, 2017
Judge:"NFL’s actions demonstrate that from the very beginning of the decision-making process, a cloud of fundamental unfairness followed EE"
— Gabe Feldman (@SportsLawGuy) September 8, 2017
Tom Brady went through a similar process, and though he was eventually forced to serve his four-game suspension last season, he played for the entirety of 2015 while it wound through the courts. That’s looking likely for Elliott as well, all thanks to the NFL continuing to drop the ball with any kind of issue that demands the slightest bit of critical thinking.
It also ensures that we’ll be following plenty of court news as the case plays out throughout the season, and anything Elliott accomplishes on the field will be viewed through this particular prism.
Adjust your fantasy rosters accordingly. https://t.co/eC3jBZSJCS
— Cork Gaines (@CorkGaines) September 8, 2017
Or maybe not.
[USA Today]