The NFL is doing everything in its power to try to prevent Ezekiel Elliott from taking the field.
The league filed paperwork Wednesday threatening to take its appeal of Elliott’s temporary injunction to the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Friday if a decision isn’t made on the Dallas Cowboys running back by Thursday.
“Now that this emergency stay request is fully briefed, Respondents would respectfully request that this Court rule on the request as expeditiously as possible,” the NFL wrote Wednesday, via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort-Worth Star Telegram. “If this Court declines to grant relief, Respondents intend to seek a stay from the Court of Appeals and believe it is important to give the Court of Appeals the opportunity to act promptly.”
U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant granted Elliott a temporary injunction of his six-game suspension last Friday. The NFL quickly appealed, but prevailing wisdom was that the Cowboys star would be able to play the entire season as the league’s appeal played out in court.
The NFL apparently is unsatisfied with that potential outcome, though: It requested an “emergency stay” of Elliott’s suspension and issued a response to Mazzant and the NFL Players’ Association two days before the Friday deadline.
If a stay is granted, Elliott’s suspension would go into effect immediately. It’s unlikely Mazzant would overturn his own ruling, though, meaning Elliott’s case should go to the 5th Circuit. That process could take months, but the league seemingly wants to get the ball rolling as soon as possible with the chance of a ruling potentially coming before the end of the regular season.
Thumbnail photo via Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports Images
