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Cowboys RB Elliott Granted Injunction, Likely Plays Entire Season

Federal Judge Amos Mazzant III, of the Eastern District of Texas, has granted running back Ezekiel Elliott a motion for a preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order, which means he can play until the court makes a final ruling on his petition.

On Aug. 11, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Elliott for six games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The said Elliott caused physical injury to former girlfriend Tiffany Thompson on three different occasions in July 2016 in Columbus, Ohio.

Elliott has denied the incidents occurred.

On Tuesday, arbitrator Harold Henderson, selected by Goodell, denied Elliott's NFL appeal. Thus, he only way he can avoid the suspension is to fight it in court. Elliott filed a suit to vacate any NFL discipline last week.

A temporary restraining order, which Elliott's representatives expect the judge to grant on Friday, would buy Elliott a couple of more weeks before another court hearing.

Elliott led the NFL in yards (1,631) and carries (322) after the Cowboys selected him with the fourth pick of the draft.

In a statement released Friday evening, Elliott's attorneys, Frank Salzana and Scott Rosenblum, said:

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"We just learned of the Honorable Amos Mazzant's decision to grant Mr. Elliott's request for a preliminary injunction staying the NFL's six-game suspension. We are very pleased that Mr. Elliott will finally be given the opportunity to have an impartial decision-maker carefully examine the NFL's misconduct. This is just the beginning of the unveiling of the NFL's mishandling as it relates to Mr. Elliott's suspension. As the Court noted, the question of whether Mr. Elliott received a fundamentally fair hearing was answered ... 'he did not.' We agree."

And in a statement Friday, the NFL said:

"We strongly believe that the investigation and evidence supported the Commissioner's decision and that the process was meticulous and fair throughout. We will review the decision in greater detail and discuss next steps with counsel, both in the district court and federal court of appeals."

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