November 9, 2017

  • Todd ArcherESPN Staff Writer

    Shut

    • Covered NFL since 1997, Cowboys since 2003
    • Previously covered Bengals and Dolphins
    • Lives in Dallas area with his wife and 2 children

FRISCO, Texas -- The emergency injunction request past the NFL Players Association on behalf of Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was denied by the 2nd U.South. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday.

The ruling means Elliott's half dozen-game suspension is back on, and he is currently ineligible to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

The next hearing in Elliott's case is set for Dec. 1. Pending unforeseen legal intervention, he will miss 4 games -- against the Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Redskins -- before getting some other court date.

The 2nd Excursion Court had stipulated that the NFLPA's entreatment of Th's ruling would exist heard on an expedited footing.

Elliott will be placed on the suspended listing for the second time in as many weeks. Last calendar week he was granted a temporary administrative stay from the 2nd Excursion subsequently Judge Katherine Polk Failla denied his request for a preliminary injunction in the Southern Commune. The stay allowed him to play against the Kansas City Chiefs.

On Aug. eleven, the NFL appear Elliott had been suspended six games for violating the personal bear policy. The league said information technology plant persuasive testify that he committed domestic violence confronting a former girlfriend on multiple occasions in July 2016 in Columbus, Ohio.

That set off legal maneuvering that has kept Elliott on the field for the first eight games of the season. Elliott won a preliminary injunction at a commune court in Sherman, Texas, in September, but the 5th U.S. Circuit Courtroom of Appeals ruled that court never should accept heard Elliott's case. Polk Failla heard the example in the Southern District last calendar week and denied the request.

Without another successful appeal, Elliott would exist out until Dec. 24 against the Seattle Seahawks. His absenteeism would be a blow to the Cowboys, who have won three straight and seen Elliott gain at to the lowest degree 93 yards in the past iv games while scoring five rushing touchdowns. Elliott is second in the NFL in rushing with 783 yards in eight games and is tied for the league lead with seven rushing touchdowns.

In his absence, the Cowboys will go with Alfred Morris, Rod Smith and Darren McFadden in the backfield.

Elliott, who was not charged by Columbus authorities, has maintained his innocence.

"This is bigger than a suspension," Elliott said last calendar week. "It'southward bigger than football. It's them trying to make me something I'm not. I'm not an abuser. That'due south non who I am. This is my name, and this is my reputation. That's something that I accept to alive with beyond football game, so every day is worth fighting for."

Elliott missed Th's do to be in the courtroom with the hope being his attendance would make a divergence. Equally he did final calendar week, he saturday expressionless for the duration of the 30-minute hearing, even when the line of questioning began touching on the details of some of the accusations confronting him.

The questions from the judges didn't seem to favor either side. There were many questions about Article 46 of the collective bargaining agreement, the result of Lisa Friel'southward and Kia Roberts' testimonies and why the NFL and so badly needs to proceed the suspension in identify during the appeal.

Although the league won the battle, the appeals judges took a few shots at the NFL for its handling of the suspension. Excursion Judge Dennis Jacobs told Paul Clement, the NFL'south lawyer, that he establish it odd that the issue was "such a frantic emergency that it tin't wait another couple months."

"This is not just about Elliott and the Cowboys," Cloudless responded, noting that 100 players across the league had been suspended for a total of 500 games over the past two seasons.

"Unfortunately, discipline is a fact of life in the NFL," the lawyer added. "They all take an interest in seeing the same bones rules applied to them."

Clement said information technology was of import that players not exist able to "game the arrangement" by using the courts to delay suspensions until it is convenient for them or their teams.

The news of Elliott's denial came moments after the Cowboys' locker room closed to the media.

Wide receiver Dez Bryant had been confident Elliott would continue to be eligible to play.

"All I know is I'll be running out at that place besides Zeke on Sunday," Bryant said. "I know that. That'southward what I feel. That's what I believe. That'southward what I'1000 going to stay with."

Every bit the Cowboys were preparing for afternoon meetings, word broke that Elliott had lost his request. Per league rules, suspended players cannot have contact with the squad's coaches. He tin accept contact with the team's medical staff.

If Elliott does not receive some other temporary administrative stay, the side by side time he can exist at The Star volition be December. eighteen.

ESPN'southward Dan Graziano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.