If you took the risk and drafted Ezekiel Elliott in your fantasy football league this year then you’re in luck. At this moment, it looks like you will have the Cowboys star running back for the entire season, and not lose him for a 6-game suspension as the NFL originally handed down last month.
On Friday, A U.S. District Court judge granted the NFL Players Association's preliminary injunction request on the behalf of Ezekiel Elliott, meaning the Dallas Cowboys running back's suspension is on hold.
In his decision, Judge Amos Mazzant III agreed with the NFL union that Zeke didn't receive a fair appeal hearing.
"The question before the Court is merely whether Elliott received a fundamentally fair hearing before the arbitrator. The answer is he did not," Mazzant wrote in his ruling Friday. "The Court finds, based upon the injunction standard, that Elliott was denied a fundamentally fair hearing by Henderson's refusal to allow Thompson and Goodell to testify at the arbitration hearing.”
However, the NFL didn’t agree with the judge’s decision and voiced their frustration shortly after the announcement was made Friday afternoon:
"We strongly believe that the investigation and evidence supported the commissioner's decision and that the process was meticulous and fair throughout," the league spokesman said in a statement. "We will review the decision in greater detail and discuss next steps with counsel, both in the district court and federal court of appeals."
As for Elliott’s side, his spokesperson said they are very happy with the outcome of course. "We are very pleased that Mr. Elliott will finally be given the opportunity to have an impartial decision-maker carefully examine the NFL's misconduct," Elliott's attorneys said in a statement Friday night. "This is just the beginning of the unveiling of the NFL's mishandling as it relates to Mr. Elliott's suspension.”
Elliott later posted a video on Instagram with the caption: "Momma told me if ya fall never stay down," which happens to be a line from Meek Mill's Win & Losses intro.
Check out some footage from when the news was broken on ESPN’s Sportscenter @6 with Michael Smith and Jemele Hill (below) and let us know your thoughts. Do you think Ezekiel should be able to play or no?
