COLUMBUS – Ezekiel Elliott could be out of the Dallas Cowboys’ lineup until mid-December.
A federal judge has cleared the way for the NFL to enforce a six-game suspension it handed to the former Buckeye and Cowboys running back over domestic violence allegations.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla denied the request for a preliminary injunction from players’ union attorneys working for Elliott. Failla has put the ruling on hold for 24 hours to give Elliott’s legal team time to appeal, a likely move. She heard arguments from both sides on Monday in federal court in Manhattan with Elliott in attendance before rendering her decision hours later.
It’s the second time a federal ruling has overturned a reprieve that kept Elliott on the field. The NFL has been trying to successfully suspend Elliott since the end of preseason. The issue stems from allegations of a physical dispute between Elliott and an ex-girlfriend last year.
If the suspension holds this time, Elliott will miss Sunday’s home game against the Chiefs and won’t be eligible to play again until Dec. 17 at Oakland.