I really don't get how legit publications can be allowed to publish and slander a person's name like that with zero consequences. There was not one ounce of evidence that Zeke did anything. He was just there. Yet he was crucified all day long nationwide. It's pathetic. ESPN and Schefter (the biggest hack in the NFL reporting) ran with this early. The Fan as well. So many made up clickbait titles. And everyone just believed them. Based on what? A few random tweets from random people who have zero credibility.
Do people really think there would not be video of Zeke laying out someone to the point where they have to go to the hospital? Please! In today's social media era, that stuff would be all over the web. Someone would have sold that to TMZ. But no, nothing at all. Why? Because he had zero to do with it.
I can't believe people fall for this clickbait junk constantly.
Welcome to freedom of the press. Welcome to freedom in general.
There are blessings and curses associated with living in a free society. One of which is we are free to disseminate information - good or bad. And if you think this is bad, talk to citizens from North Korea (I'm not trying to be smart-aleck. It's hard to convey tone on the Internet).
The press has the right to gather information and disseminate that information. For the most part, Adam Schefter and other media outlets first reported that Zeke was at a bar where an incident occurred. Then after talking to witnesses, they said Zeke was involved. Then, according to THIS witness (and we don't know if he's telling the truth), Zeke wasn't involved.
This is the evolving nature of a news story. It used to be slower when we just had newspapers. It got a bit faster with the invention of radio ... faster with television and even faster with social media. Unfortunately, there's no way to put the technological genie back in the bottle so you're going to be dealing with this from hence forth.
As for slander/libel, Zeke is a public figure, a celebrity. His burden of proof is greater than your average Joe. And he would have to prove 1.) malice (It's hard to prove malice when your first story merely said he was at a bar where an incident occurred) and 2.) How the allegations damaged him financially.
Unfortunately, Zeke has to understand some things about being a celebrity, especially in the day and age of social media. He has to understand some thing about responsibility. He has to understand some things about being a Dallas Cowboy.
Now, you asked the question (I paraphrase) about why would people not have video taped the fight if Zeke actually threw it. The opposite could be true too. If Zeke didn't why don't we see any video that shows someone other than him throwing the punch?
The truth is maybe people weren't anticipating a fight. Maybe Zeke had been at the bar a while and people videoed him initially then stopped. People may have their phones, but they're not recording every moment of a celebrity when he walks into a bar, restaurant, etc. That's a bit too intrusive of one's privacy.
Be that as it may, the truth will come out. That's the benefit too of living in a free society.
... organizations like this have absolutely no problem dragging an athletes name through the mud as long as it means making a buck but ignore bad business decisions in lieu of "social justice". It makes no sense. Stop killing your own business!