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The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has finally ruled on the NFL’s motion to vacate Ezekiel Elliott's preliminary injunction. The NFL got the ruling they wanted as the preliminary junction is no longer in place.
5th Circuit Court of Appeals rules to vacate Elliott's preliminary injunction and Eastern District Of Texas has to dismiss case.
— Kate Hairopoulos (@khairopoulos) October 12, 2017
The NFL could now impose the six-game suspension on Elliott, but that won’t be the end of the story.
This means Elliott and the NFLPA will file for an injunction in Sourhern District of New York. He needs it to keep playing.
— Kate Hairopoulos (@khairopoulos) October 12, 2017
The reasoning behind the decision:
The latest motion in Ezekiel Elliott and the NFL Players Association’s legal battle with the NFL has been decided. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sided with the NFL and granted a stay for the injunction that was delaying Elliott’s six-game suspension, according to theAssociated Press.
The court sided with the NFL in a split decision because it determined that the district court that issued the stay did not have subject matter jurisdiction, according to Gabe Feldman, the director of Tulane University’s sports law program. The appellate court also ordered the district court to dismiss the case filed by Elliott’s representatives, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said.
With the Cowboys on their bye week, the soonest the suspension could go into effect would be next week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. In the meantime, the NFLPA and Elliott will surely head to court to get another injunction as they continue the court battle with the NFL.
The NFLPA is expected to file a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, according to sports and gaming attorney Daniel Wallach.