Ezekiel Elliott's long and drawn-out saga continues. This morning, the NFL filed an appeal to the 5th Circuit U.S. Appeals Court in an effort to ensure that Ezekiel Elliot cannot play until his case reaches a verdict. This action goes directly against a Texas judge's previous ruling, which stated that Elliot would be allowed to continue playing until the matters reach a legal resolution. The whole thing kicked off when Elliott was accused of being the aggressor in a domestic dispute, and ultimately, the NFL does not want him hitting the field until everything is cleared up.
However, Ezekiel Elliot's team is having none of it. TMZ reports that a rep put the league on blast, stating that the NFL "will stop at nothing" to keep Ezekiel from hitting the field. The reps elaborated, stating that "The NFL's latest legal maneuvering appears to be indicative of a league with an agenda: trying to navigate a public relations crisis rather than focus on fairness and fact finding. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that the NFL believes it can write its own rules and will stop at nothing to further its agenda of enforcing its unfounded assertions regarding Mr. Elliott."
It's strong words from Ezekiel's camp, who seem to be evoking the old adage of "innocent before proven guilty." However, the NFL does seem interested in covering their own proverbial asses; if Elliott is found guilty of domestic abuse, it would be a bad look if he's out there dominating the field. Apparently, the league requested that the judge make a final decision by September 26th, which coincides with the fourth week of the NFL schedule.
Whatever way this shakes out, it will be hard for Ezekiel to see the league in a positive light after this.