Judge Katherine Failla of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has denied Ezekiel Elliott’s request for a preliminary injunction against the NFL’s six-game suspension for alleged domestic violence. While Elliott and the union will appeal this decision in the circuit courts, he is suspended pending further legal action.
Judge: the Court concludes that NFLPA failed to demonstrate a substantial question warranting the extraordinary remedy of injunctive relief
— Kate Hairopoulos (@khairopoulos) October 31, 2017
In other words, the judge believes that the NFL conducted itself according to the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and did not feel there was enough merit to the argument that “fundamental fairness” was denied.
With no legal protection currently, Elliott will almost certainly miss this Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. His camp will try to get an expedited appeal and another temporary restraining order based on the “irreparable harm” that comes from him missing games, but those moves are for another day.
For now, the NFL front office gets a major win in terms of its power and the validation of the CBA. Interesting, this comes on the same day that news is circulating of a major shift in the owners’ desire to hand Roger Goodell a major contract extension. Jerry Jones is at the forefront of that movement, and tonight’s events will only fuel his fire even more.
We will have to wait and see what this means for Ezekiel Elliott and the rest of the season. If he can’t win another court battle, he will now miss Weeks 9-14. On the plus side, that guarantees he would not miss any playoff games or even some critical season-deciding matchups at the end of the year.
But can the Cowboys stay competitive with Zeke out? Can Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden do enough to help Dallas keep pace with the Eagles in the NFC East, or even in the Wild Card race?
Maybe we won’t have to find out. The legal process isn’t over for Elliott and the NFL, but tonight was a major blow for Zeke and Cowboys Nation.
And the saga continues……….
Thankfully, this isn’t the end of the road. However, the light at the end of the tunnel is definitely getting darker.
Jess, I hate to sound doom and gloom, but with judgement handed down today. I believe that the Cowboys season, will be over before it started. The Cowboys will be facing the meat of it’s regular season schedule. The Chiefs, Falcons, Iggles, Chargers, deadskins and midgets. I can’t see tthis coaching staff, pulling out of this adversity, smelling like a rose, upon Zeke return.
Zeke was a friend of the missing in action defense. Now that the Cowboys will be without it’s grinder, to keep the defense fresh. We will see more 3 and outs [like the Broncos, Rams and Packers game], on a regular basis. With a Cowboys offense relying on Dak, it’s going to be a long season. Dak is not ready, in my opinion to putting the Cowboys on his back. With the Cowboys offense not able to sustain drives, especially, on 3rd downs, the Cowboys defense will be worn out.
I hope I’m wrong. Coach Garrett face at his press conference, he too seemed long face, about the Cowboys chances of making a run towards Super Bowl 52.
I just don’t think the Cowboys running back by committee, will be successful. Another year in Cowboys history of not winning the Lombardi Trophy.
I think the Cowboys CAN win any game that Zeke misses. I don’t think they will win all six, but I think they can at least go 3-3. That puts them at 7-6 when Zeke returns with three to go. Depending on what else is happening in the NFC, they can make the push for the Wild Card spot.
It ain’t over.
EE’s team had a cracked judge a couple weeks ago and got that reversed. Substantial question? The NFL’s own case interviewer said she did not believe the accuser.
EE has a very strong case when it’s finally heard – whether that is in the offseason to kill the suspension, or a damages lawsuit if the suspension is forced on him now. He is likely to win on merits, and any lost game for an NFL player is clearly a lost game and irreparable harm.
Not to mention the league has already killed his endorsements future / millions of dollars.
This judge is wrong. The fair thing is to table this dispute until offseason.
Her decision was pretty astounding. It went against most legal logic, hence why you saw mostly positive predictions about how it would go in Zeke’s favor. Hopefully the next court sees that,