A federal judge blocked Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott's six-game suspension over a domestic violence case Friday, setting the stage for a potentially lengthy legal fight with the NFL.
Last year's league rushing leader already was cleared to play in the opener against the New York Giants on Sunday night before the ruling by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant. It's uncertain whether an NFL appeal can get the suspension reinstated this season.
Mazzant agreed with players' union lawyers that Elliott didn't receive a "fundamentally fair" hearing in his appeal and he granted the NFL Players' Association request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking the league's punishment.
Elliott was suspended by Commissioner Roger Goodell in August after the league concluded he had several physical confrontations last summer with Tiffany Thompson, a former girlfriend. Prosecutors in Ohio didn't pursue the case, citing conflicting evidence.
The 22-year-old Elliott denied Thompson's allegations in sworn testimony during an appeal hearing last week. He also attended the hearing for the restraining order earlier this week in Sherman, about 65 miles north of Dallas.
"We are very pleased that Mr. Elliott will finally be given the opportunity to have an impartial decisionmaker carefully examine the NFL's misconduct," Elliott's attorneys said in joint statement. "This is just the beginning of the unveiling of the NFL's mishandling as it relates to Mr. Elliott's suspension."
Arbitrator Harold Henderson turned down Elliott's appeal of the suspension the same day as the hearing in federal court. Henderson ruled that the NFL complied with its personal conduct policy in punishing Elliott and rejected any claims that Elliott's attorneys presented new evidence at the appeal.
Mazzant's ruling took aim at Henderson and the NFL, saying decisions not to allow Goodell and Thompson to testify at the appeal were among several factors unfair to Elliott.
