Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott Suspended For First 6 Games Of NFL Season

Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott has been suspended for the first six games of the regular season following a series of domestic violence allegations in July of last year:

It’s standard process for the NFL to conduct an independent investigation into any domestic violence allegations to determine whether a player violated the personal conduct policy. A player can be disciplined under the league’s policy even if he hasn’t faced legal charges.

In a July 2016 report filed with the Columbus, Ohio police department, a woman who identified herself as Elliott’s former girlfriend claimed that he attacked her several times over the course of a week, including an assault that allegedly took place while she was sitting in the driver's seat of her car. In addition to filing a report, the woman posted photos to her Instagram page showing bruises on her leg, arms, hand, and neck.

Elliott denied that he and the woman had lived together, and he told authorities that she suffered the bruises in a bar fight, according to the report.

The police report says that officers spoke with four witnesses, all of whom said that they did not see an assault take place. The ex-girlfriend was referred to the prosecutor's office by police, citing conflicting information.

The same woman also called Florida police in February 2016, alleging Elliott pushed her against a wall. No charges were filed in either case.

The woman cooperated with the NFL’s investigation, which lasted over a year.

The Los Angeles Rams play the Cowboys twice this year: tomorrow night in their preseason opener, and in Week 4 on October 1. Elliott would miss the latter pending appeal.

This would be the second high impact player the Rams would not have to face early in their schedule with the news that Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck might miss part of the early action as he rehabs his shoulder injury.