Ezekiel Elliott: Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Rules in Favor of NFL, Suspension Back On Pending Further Litigation

The Fifth Circuit ruled on the Ezekiel Elliott matter today, and found that Elliott and the NFLPA did not exhaust all remedies because they filed in the 5th Circuit before arbitrator Harold Henderson had ruled on appeal.

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of NFL in Elliott case, per @RMFifthCircuit. NFLPA/Elliott didn't "exhaust" CBA procedures
— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) October 12, 2017

5th circuit court rules against #Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott, vacating preliminary injunction & reinstating his 6-game suspension. pic.twitter.com/9RwEQXz3Xe
— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 12, 2017

The upshot of the ruling is this. The preliminary injunction–which kept the NFL from enforcing the 6-game suspension–is now off. That doesn’t mean it is over, but unless another court rules, then Elliott will begin serving his suspension as soon as next week (the Cowboys are on their bye week).

Bottom line: NFL won this round as 5th Circuit vacated Ezekiel Elliott's preliminary injunction & Eastern District of Texas has to dismiss case. So, his 6-game suspension is back on and could start after bye. Zeke's side will now have to refile and process starts over in New York
— Brandon George (@DMN_George) October 12, 2017

So now Elliott and the NFLPA will have to go through the 2nd Circuit, the same federal circuit that heard the Tom Brady case. All signs point to a suspension beginning next week, but there will be more lawyers over the next week and emergency hearings.