A Texas district court granted Ezekiel Elliott’s request for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction after the running back’s suspension was upheld last week, meaning he can continue to play while battling the NFL in court. Naturally, the NFL is challenging the latest ruling.
Sports attorney Daniel Wallach informed us that the NFL filed an appeal of Elliott’s injunction in court on Monday.
BREAKING: #NFL appeals Texas court injunction in the Ezekiel Elliott case to the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals pic.twitter.com/W5K9efk7wO
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) September 11, 2017
The NFL could also seek an emergency stay, but Wallach says the chances of that being granted are low. In order to get a court to agree, the league would have to prove that “irreparable harm” will be caused by Elliott playing while his case is sorted out in court. While the suspension being upheld by an arbitrator helps the NFL’s position, it’s much easier to prove that Elliot would be harmed more if he is forced to miss games now and later has the suspension reduced or vacated.
“They do have a shot here in that arbitrational awards should rarely be disturbed,” Wallach said previously, according to the Dallas Morning News. “One power they lack is a time machine to transport Elliott back in time to replay games that he missed because of suspension. They can never be recovered.”
Elliott would have essentially been serving his suspension now before a court determines if he is guilty had the injunction not been granted. The NFL’s appeal will likely be denied for that reason.
In Sunday’s win over the New York Giants, Elliott rushed for 104 yards on 24 carries. Based on a previous report we heard, it sounds like the 22-year-old has a good chance to play in every game this season. However, the NFL’s latest appeal will bring us some more drama leading up to Week 2.
