NFL Won't Force Cowboys Sale
Jerry Jones will not forced out as the owner of the Cowboys, the owner of one team and others familiar with the situation tell Mark Maske of The Washington Post.
Latest On Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones
The NFL has issued a letter to Jerry Jones’ attorney accusing the Cowboys owner of “conduct detrimental to the league’s best interests,” as Barry Wilner of The Associated Press writes. It appears that the league is barking back in the battle over commissioner Roger Goodell’s proposed extension. 
[RELATED: Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott Drops Appeal]
“Your client’s antics, whatever their motivation, are damaging the league and reflect conduct detrimental to the league’s best interests,” the letter said.
Jones says that he has issues with Goodell’s compensation in the new contract and is also looking to limit the power of his office. Of course, this fury over Goodell’s deal has intersected with the Ezekiel Elliott‘s appeal (which was put to rest on Wednesday) as well as the anthem controversy, a matter on which Jones has been extremely outspoken.
Within the letter, the NFL confirms that Jones has been removed as a non-voting member of the compensation committee. It has been rumored that Jones gained entry to that group by essentially appointing himself a member. Jones was accused of abusing that access and spreading an outdated document from the Goodell negotiations with the rest of the league’s owners.
“Someone who is genuinely concerned ‘that the owners know the truth about the negotiations’ would not deliberately distribute such an outdated document, particularly when he has in his possession drafts that are current and accurately reflect the actual state of negotiations, or threaten to sue the league and its owners if he does not get his way,” the letter said.
The NFL doesn’t have a problem with Jones’ opposition to Goodell’s extension, Mike Florio of PFT hears, but the league does have a big problem with how he has gone about expressing his displeasure. The league’s latest warning shot towards Jones may finally lead to deescalation, particularly since the Elliott matter is in the rear-view mirror.
Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott Withdraws Appeal
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is withdrawing his appeal, agents Rocky Arceneaux and Frank Salzano tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The NFLPA also announced that it has withdrawn its lawsuit against the league. Elliott will serve his full six-game suspension. He will miss the next five games and return in Week 16 against the Seahawks. 
“In consultation with the NFLPA and his lawyers, and after careful deliberation and review of the recent Second Circuit decisions, Mr. Elliott has decided to forego any further appeals and will serve the remaining suspension,” the statement reads. “This decision arises from a practical assessment of the current legal landscape. Mr. Elliott’s desire for closure in this matter is in his best interest, as well as the best interests of his teammates, family, and friends.
This decision is in no way an admission of any wrongdoing, and Mr. Elliott is pleased that the legal fight mounted by he and his team resulted in disclosing many hidden truths regarding this matter as well as publicly exposing the NFL’s mismanagement of its disciplinary process. Mr. Elliott will maximize this time away from the game and come back even stronger both on and off the field. He intends to release a final personal statement in the upcoming weeks and until then we have no further comment.”
Elliott will release a statement at some point that will explain his decision further, Rapoport tweets. Meanwhile, the NFLPA may still continue the battle in court.
On Nov. 9, the Second Circuit ruled to reinstate Elliott’s ban, sidelining him for Dallas’ game against the Falcons. Initially, an expedited appeal in front of the Second Circuit court was scheduled for December 1st. Instead, Elliott is accepting the suspension, which most likely would have had to have been served at some point. By taking the hit now, Elliott can ensure that he will be eligible for this year’s playoffs, assuming the Cowboys get there.
The running back will miss games against the Eagles, Chargers, Redskins, Giants, and Raiders before returning.
Latest On Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones
Reports that the league’s owners could force Jerry Jones to sell the Cowboys are “”laughable and ridiculous,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan (transcription via Kate Hairopolos of the Dallas Morning News). 
“I’ve had not one, not one, inkling of communication from the league office or any owner that would suggest something that laughable and ridiculous, and that’s about where that is,” Jones said on his radio show on Tuesday. “If somebody is asserting that then they are not knowledgeable about how things work in the NFL.”
The notion that Jones could be forced to part ways with the Cowboys does seem pretty far fetched. However, the league’s owners could move to bring other sanctions against Jones for his crusade against commissioner Roger Goodell. Among the measures being discussed are fines, a suspension, or a loss of draft capital for the Cowboys, Mark Maske of The Washington Post (Twitter link) hears. Maske’s sources did not mention a scenario in which Jones is made to sell the Cowboys, however. It’s also not a given that Jones will be penalized at all, though it is at least being talked about.
For his part, Jones feels that the league’s owners have “all the time in the world” to extend Goodell and he doesn’t want the deal to be completed in haste given that the commissioner still has 18 months left on his current contract. The Cowboys owner asserts that more than half of the league’s owners are in his corner on this matter.
Sean Lee Expected To Miss Several Weeks
- Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee may be forced to shut it down for several weeks. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the defender is unlikely to play this week or during the team’s Thanksgiving contest against the Chargers. Head coach Jason Garrett confirmed that Lee may miss several games, noting that “it might be some time” before he returns (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com).
[SOURCE LINK]
NFL Could Force Jerry Jones To Forfeit Ownership?
Jerry Jones‘ stand against the NFL hasn’t abated in recent days, and the saga has reached enough of a boiling point that several other owners have discussed a “nuclear option” that would force Jones to forfeit the Cowboys franchise, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
According to the league’s bylaws, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can decide an owner has acted in a manner “detrimental to the welfare of the League or professional football” and assess a $500K fine. However, if Goodell decides further punishment is in order, he could pass the case on to the NFL’s Executive Committee, which could then force the “cancellation or forfeiture” of a team, per Florio.
While the option exists, the concept of the league forcing Jones to give up control of the Dallas organization is unlikely to occur, according to Florio, especially because the outcome would likely be lawsuits from both parties. But Jones has certainly done his fair share of harping against the NFL over the past week: he’s not only threatened to sue the league, but insists owners are being “misled” on the details of Goodell’s proposed contract extension.
Jones may have also affected the business of the NFL and its sponsors, as owners reportedly believe Jones convinced Papa John’s owner CEO John Schnatter to blame the league for not only decreased ratings, but a downturn in Papa John’s sales. That Jones took “family business outside the family” could potentially push the NFL’s other owners to their breaking point, per Florio.
Ezekiel Elliott To Leave Country To Train, Clear His Head
- Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott, whose suspension was reinstated earlier this week, is leaving the country to clear his head and train in an undisclosed location, per Rapoport (via Twitter).
Tyron Smith Out For Week 10
- While Ezekiel Elliott will be the most notable absence in Sunday’s Cowboys-Falcons game, Dallas will be without its cornerstone left tackle as well. Tyron Smith will miss Week 10 with back and groin injuries. The All-Pro blocker will not make the trip to Atlanta, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports (on Twitter). Chaz Green will start in Smith’s place. The seventh-year veteran had made all eight starts for the Cowboys this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Jonathan Anderson
- Waived: WR Tanner Gentry
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed off Chiefs’ practice squad: DT Daniel Ross
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: TE Johnny Mundt
- Waived: OL Andrew Donnal
New York Giants
- Signed: FB Shane Smith
- Waived: TE Matt LaCosse
New York Jets
- Signed: WR JoJo Natson
- Waived/injured: DL Ed Stinson
Washington Redskins
- Waived: G Tyler Catalina
Latest From Jerry Jones on Roger Goodell Contract
It’s already well known that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has his problems with the commissioner Roger Goodell‘s potential contract extension. Jones has already said that most of the NFL’s owners are being “misled” because of a bonus agreement among other things that have been included in the prospective new deal.
There’s been speculation that Jones’ recent attempts to block Goodell’s new extension stems somewhat from the ongoing legal battle regarding Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott and the league. However, the Cowboys owner went on record today to dispute that notion, citing other less specific issues, relays Jon Machota of SportsDay.
“This is simply about making sure that all clubs have input into not only the commissioner’s [contract] extension, but also in future years his decisions, Jones said. “We all see how impactful a commissioner’s decision can be in many areas. We’ve given him a lot of power and I think we need the checks and balances of ownership having to actually be in a position to not just suggest but approve of his decisions. That’s what this is about.”
Jones notes that he’s been working with Goodell for a long time and that he’s able to separate his disappointment with the league’s handling of Elliott’s suspension and what’s good for the NFL long-term.
“I’ve been dealing with this commissioner for almost 28 years as an employee of the NFL,” Jones said. “Zeke’s been involved here a year, year and a half. Those are really separate issues as to Zeke. The policy we have that has impacted Zeke is more of my issue with the commissioner.”
The Cowboys owner and general manager noted to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star Telegram, that his problems with Goodell’s contract extension as currently constructed has less to do with the commissioner and more with the power of the position he holds.
“To a large degree, it’s not about Roger Goodell. It’s about the power of the commissioner as it relates to ownership. To the extent that the ownership hires him, extends him, pays him on an ongoing basis, the ownership should have first-hand approval, each owner, should approve that.”
It would seem that Jones’ problems at least on the surface have more to do with the owners keeping a strong hold on their league rather than not having his start running back for six games at some point this season. However, it is undeniable that Goodell has asserted his power throughout this Elliott suspension process and Jones has said publicly that he’ll support his superstar player all the way. There’s no way to know exactly what the tipping point in negotiations will be, but the NFL and Jerry Jones will certainly have a lot of talking to do over the next months.