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Latest On Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott

September 16th, 2017 at 9:08am CST by Ben Levine

The NFL has filed its “appeal and an emergency motion for a stay” on the Ezekiel Elliott ruling, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (via Twitter). The reporter notes that the NFL is specifically asking for that stay by September 26th, at which time (if successful) the running back would presumably serve his suspension. The league’s request is below (via Garafolo on Twitter):

“To minimize disruptive uncertainty, the NFL requests a stay ruling ideally by September 19, 2017 (when Week 3 practices begin), but no later than September 26, 2017 (Week 4). The NFL stands ready to brief the appeal with whatever degree of expedition this Court deems appropriate. But the process of remedying the district court’s massive overreach should begin as promptly as possible by staying its unprecedented and indefensible order.”

Let’s take a look at some other notes on the Elliott ordeal:

  • Predictably, Elliott’s team released a statement following the NFL’s decision to file an appeal (via Ian Rapoport on Twitter): “The NFL’s latest legal maneuvering appears to be indicative of a league with an agenda: Trying to navigate a public relations crisis rather than focus on fairness and fact finding. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that the NFL believes it can write its own rules and will stop at nothing to further its agenda of enforcing its unfounded assertions regarding Mr. Elliott. Most recently this would include the NFL seeking an expedited hearing on staying the preliminary injunction by frivolously arguing that the NFL is somehow ‘irreparably harmed’ by Elliott playing while the Courts decide whether the investigation and appeal was fundamentally unfair. Mr. Elliott and his team will continue to zealously oppose any of the NFL’s court filings.”
  • Sports Illustrated’s Michael McCann notes that Judge Amos Mazzant’s decisions aren’t usually reversed. Since be became a federal judge in 2009, 19 of his decisions have been appealed…with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversing those decisions only twice. Of course, as the writer notes, the same could be said for Judge Richard Berman, whose decision in favor of quarterback Tom Brady was reversed.
  • While the NFL is hoping to have the process wrapped up relatively quickly, precedent says that that might not be the case. McCann notes that the Brady appeal took seven months, while Adrian Peterson‘s appeal took 17 months. On the flip side, the previous appeals “challenged a federal district judge vacating an arbitration award,” while the current appeal is in regards to “a preliminary injunction.” Ultimately, the timing of the decision could play a significant role in whether Elliott will be suspended this season.
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