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Ezekiel Elliott has completed his appeal for the NFL's six-game suspension, and the NFL Players' Association believes it has a good case against the league.
According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, the NFLPA believes there were flaws in the NFL's investigative process, including a disconnect between the NFL's Director of Investigations Kia Wright Roberts, who interviewed Elliott's accuser, and commissioner Roger Goodell.
The Dallas Cowboys running back has been accused of domestic violence and was suspended under the league's personal conduct policy, but he finished his three-day appeal process Thursday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
While Elliott was never charged with a crime, the NFL completed an investigation into the incident that lasted more than a year and ended with a 160-page report.
However, Graziano reported Wright Roberts was the only person who interviewed Elliott's accuser, Tiffany Thompson. Roberts then testified at the appeal hearing that she was not part of the group that met with Goodell to discuss discipline and she would not have recommended discipline if given the option.
Graziano continued:
"As a result, the union concluded that the process by which the NFL arrived at a six-game suspension for Elliott encountered significant flaws somewhere between the investigation itself and the ultimate decision to suspend. The concerns about the NFL's investigative process in this matter could form the basis for a court challenge aimed at getting Elliott on the field for the Cowboys' Week 1 game against the Giants."
Elliott's camp was not hopeful about the appeals process thanks in part to the selection of former league executive Harold Henderson as arbiter, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. However, his team is apparently already planning for the long haul.
The NFLPA hired Jeffrey Kessler, who represented Tom Brady during the Deflategate hearings that spanned multiple years, to take on Elliott's appeal.
Even if Henderson rules against Elliott, the defense is clearly building its case for potential appearances in higher courts.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...
According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, the NFLPA believes there were flaws in the NFL's investigative process, including a disconnect between the NFL's Director of Investigations Kia Wright Roberts, who interviewed Elliott's accuser, and commissioner Roger Goodell.
The Dallas Cowboys running back has been accused of domestic violence and was suspended under the league's personal conduct policy, but he finished his three-day appeal process Thursday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
While Elliott was never charged with a crime, the NFL completed an investigation into the incident that lasted more than a year and ended with a 160-page report.
However, Graziano reported Wright Roberts was the only person who interviewed Elliott's accuser, Tiffany Thompson. Roberts then testified at the appeal hearing that she was not part of the group that met with Goodell to discuss discipline and she would not have recommended discipline if given the option.
Graziano continued:
"As a result, the union concluded that the process by which the NFL arrived at a six-game suspension for Elliott encountered significant flaws somewhere between the investigation itself and the ultimate decision to suspend. The concerns about the NFL's investigative process in this matter could form the basis for a court challenge aimed at getting Elliott on the field for the Cowboys' Week 1 game against the Giants."
Elliott's camp was not hopeful about the appeals process thanks in part to the selection of former league executive Harold Henderson as arbiter, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. However, his team is apparently already planning for the long haul.
The NFLPA hired Jeffrey Kessler, who represented Tom Brady during the Deflategate hearings that spanned multiple years, to take on Elliott's appeal.
Even if Henderson rules against Elliott, the defense is clearly building its case for potential appearances in higher courts.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...