Ezekiel Elliott suspended six games for domestic violence

Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has been suspended six games by the NFL for violating its personal conduct policy. 

Elliott’s suspension is the product of an investigation into an accusation of domestic violence made by Tiffany Thompson, an ex-girlfriend of Elliott’s, more than a year ago in Columbus, Ohio. Elliott attended Ohio State there. 

The Columbus City Attorney’s office decided not to pursue charges against Elliott, but the NFL decided that discipline was warranted. Six games is the NFL baseline suspension for domestic violence.

“Over the course of the last year, the league conducted an extensive investigation,” the NFL said in a statement released Friday morning. “League investigators interviewed more than a dozen witnesses, including Ms. Tiffany Thompson, who had alleged multiple instances of physical violence in July 2016, and Mr. Elliott. The league also consulted with medical experts. League investigators examined all available evidence, including photographic and digital evidence, thousands of text messages and other records of electronic communications.”

The NFL sought the advice of four external advisors, who met with Elliott, his lawyers, and representatives from the NFL Players Association on June 26 of this year. The advisory panel was made up of Peter Harvey, Esq., the former Attorney General of New Jersey, Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Ken Houston, Tonya Lovelace, CEO of the Women of Color Network, Inc., and Mary Jo White, Esq., the former U.S. Attorney and Securities and Exchange Commission Chair.

In a letter to Elliott, the NFL’s Special Counsel for Conduct Todd Jones told the running back that the league was “of the view that there is substantial and persuasive evidence supporting a finding that [Elliott] engaged in physical violence against Ms. Thompson on multiple occasions during the week of July 16, 2016.”

Elliott has three days to file an appeal of the suspension, which he is expected to do. The NFLPA said Friday that it was in touch with Elliott and would “consider all options.” 

The Cowboys have a Week 6 bye, meaning that Elliott’s first game back will come Week 8, at FedEx Field, against the Redskins if the suspension is upheld.