ARLINGTON, Texas — The Cowboy coaches and players were right. The ongoing court saga wasn’t a distraction — not for them and not for Ezekiel Elliott.
Two days after the star running back found out he would be able to keep playing beyond Sunday night, when East Texas District Court Judge Amos Mazzant III granted Elliott a preliminary injunction, putting his six-game suspension on hold, he turned in a stellar performance.
“[I can’t] let it weigh on me and not let it wear me down,” he said, in his first public comments since the spring. “Just kind of put it aside and be me.”
Elliott didn’t break off any monster runs, but he battered the Giants’ stout front seven, repeatedly picking up extra yards after contact, as the Cowboys overwhelmed the Giants, 19-3, at AT&T Stadium. After averaging just 3.6 yards per carry a year ago against the Giants, Elliott gained 104 yards on 24 carries and also caught five passes for 36 yards, helping Dallas own the time of possession battle, 34:14 to 25:46. He had fun, too, following big plays by pretending to scoop food into his mouth like he was eating, a trademark celebration of his.
“When he was in there, he really looked impressive,” Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said. “When anybody else was in there, it didn’t look impressive.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell handed Elliott a six-game suspension Aug. 11 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy following a year-long investigation into claims he assaulted ex-girlfriend Tiffany Thompson multiple times in July 2016. Charges never were filed. NFL-appointed arbitrator Harold Henderson upheld the suspension, but Mazzant ruled Elliott didn’t receive a fair hearing during his appeal.
During the appeals process it was reported that NFL lead investigator Kia Roberts questioned Thompson’s credibility and based on her findings would not have recommended the discipline doled out to Elliott. Thompson and commissioner Roger Goodell weren’t part of the appeal hearing, which played a major factor in the decision.
“Just relieved,” Elliott said, when asked his emotions about the decision. “Just relief that I’ll finally get a fair trial.”
Elliott has denied the accusations, and his legal defense team has stated the NFL used improper procedures to come to their final decision of a six-game suspension.
The NFL has yet to respond other than issuing a statement disagreeing with the ruling. Its attempt to appeal the decision with the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals or Goodell could place Elliott on the commissioner’s exempt list, as was the case with Adrian Peterson. Elliott would still be paid, but would not be allowed to work in that instance.
“I’ve kind of just stopped worrying about it because it’s not in my hands,” he said.
But for now, Elliott is allowed to play, and he showed his value Sunday night.
“I think every person that was part of the Cowboys was uplifted by the decision [to allow Elliott to play moving forward],” Jones said. “It was a good one. Although he was playing in the game no matter what, the idea that we could have him for an extended period of time was certainly inspirational.”