FRISCO, Texas – Ezekiel Elliott can return to the Cowboys and play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs – for the time being, at least.
The Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals granted an emergency motion for a brief administrative stay of Elliott's six-game suspension from the NFL, which went into effect on Tuesday night.
Essentially, the Second Circuit has granted Elliott the ability to hold off his suspension while he appeals to the court. The stay will grant him eligibility to play Sunday against Kansas City, and then the appeal will be referred to a three-judge panel on an expedited basis.
This comes just days after Judge Katherine Failla rejected Elliott's motion for a preliminary injunction in the Second District of New York – and then subsequently denied his motion for a stay.
It's just one more turn on a long and winding road from mid-August until now. Elliott was suspended for six games on Aug. 11 over allegations of domestic violence. He has yet to serve any of that suspension, however, as he was granted a preliminary injunction by a Texas judge the week before the season.
That injunction allowed Elliott to play the first five games of the season, before the NFL appealed the decision and eventually had it overturned during the Cowboys' bye week. When that happened, Elliott sought and received a temporary restraining order in the Second District of New York, which enabled him to play in Week 7 and Week 8 – leading up to Monday's hearing over this latest injunction.
Only time will tell how long this decision keeps the Cowboys' Pro Bowl running back on the field. But at the very least, he should be on it Sunday against Kansas City.
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