The resurgence of the Dallas Cowboys is one of the biggest stories of the NFL season, and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott is a big reason why. The Ohio State product leads the league in rushing, but his emergence is not quite the feel-good story the league might have hoped for.
Elliott is still under investigation by the NFL for an alleged domestic violence dispute that happened back in July. There were no charges filed, and Elliott denied the claims made by his accuser. However, according to a report from USA Today, this was not the first incident between Elliott and his accuser. Police responded to an incident back in February where the accuser alleged that Elliott injured her shoulder after pushing her up against a wall during an argument.
An incident report obtained Friday by USA TODAY Sports from the Aventura (Fla.) Police Department said there were no visible signs of injury and that the accuser declined to go to the hospital after police responded to a call about an altercation at Elliott’s apartment Feb. 12.
This incident happened in Florida, while the July incident took place in Columbus, Ohio, and it is unclear if the NFL was aware of this second altercation. It also took place before Elliott was a member of the NFL, so it is similarly unclear whether this will factor into the league’s decision to punish him.
Just because there might not be a legal case against Elliott, does not mean he is out of the woods with the NFL.
The NFL applies a lower burden of proof than the justice system. Even absent criminal charges, a player can be placed on paid leave if an investigation leads the commissioner to believe a violation may have occurred, and disciplined further – including a suspension – if “credible evidence establishes” a violation did occur. Prohibited conduct includes “actual or threatened physical violence against another person.”
The NFL has outwardly claimed to be taking a harder stance on domestic violence after multiple high-profile instances, but as the Josh Brown situation shows, there is still a lot to be desired from the league and its teams in how they handle these situations.
