(Photo by Andrew Dieb/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DALLAS, Texas – The NFL announced Friday that Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has been suspended for six games.
Elliott violated the league’s personal-conduct policy, according to a release from the NFL. He was under a year-long investigation based around domestic violence accusations.
The accusations came from Tiffany Thompson who told authorities she was his former girlfriend.
22-year-old Elliott has denied Thompson’s accusations and the NFL said he has the right to appeal their decision.
Elliott’s suspension is based on the league’s investigation. Thompson told police Elliott assaulted her on five occasions in one week in 2016, according to the Columbus (Ohio) City Attorney’s Office.
UPDATE (Tuesday August 15th): The NFL Players Association has appealed Elliott’s suspension. In a statement, the union says it will “represent Ezekiel, as we do all players, to ensure that the NFL is held to its obligation of adhering to principles of industrial due process under the collective bargaining agreement.”
UPDATE (Tuesday September 5th): NFL-appointed arbitrator Harold Henderson denied the NFLPA’s challenge of Elliott’s suspension. Elliott will be suspended for six games. However, a restraining order will allow Elliott to play vs. Giants in Sunday’s Cowboys’ season opener.
According to Yahoo’s Tom Pelissero, the NFL took the position that Elliott can play Sunday vs. New York, as the judge will rule on the restraining order by 5pm Friday. Should Elliott’s suspension remain at six games, he would sit weeks two through eight (Dallas has a bye week six). The Cowboys play at the Redskins week 8, so a six game suspension beginning week two would prohibit Elliott from facing Washington.
