Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will officially file an appeal of his six-game suspension Tuesday, according to the Star-Telegram.
The newspaper reports that Elliott’s appeal will focus at least in part on threats made by Tiffany Thompson, Elliott’s ex-girlfriend and the victim of an alleged string of domestic violence incidents the week of July 16, 2016.
Despite not being charged in the case, Elliott was suspended for violating the league's personal conduct policy. The league cited photographic, digital and medical evidence as cause for a suspension.
Monday morning, Elliott’s father, Stacy Elliott, wrote on Twitter that Zeke’s “legal team is ready to fight,” accompanied by a screengrab of the Star-Telegram article detailing some of the threats made by Thompson, including one that was racially charged.
My son's legal team is ready to fight! Let's deal!!! You will know the set up and PLOT! pic.twitter.com/GSt7QTJehs
— Ambassador Elliott (@stacy_elliott) August 14, 2017
In the days after the allegations were made last year, Elliott claimed to have text messages proving he was being framed. Those texts will be brought to the attention of the league, according to the Star-Telegram.
Thompson’s testimony to the NFL also figures to be part of the appeal. Per documents obtained by the Star-Telegram, “[NFL lead investigator Lisa] Friel was unable to give a clear endorsement of Thompson’s credibility because she repeatedly misled investigators.”
Pro Football Talk on Monday also reported that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell did not attend any of Elliott's hearings or meet Thompson during the investigation.
Hours after the suspension was handed down last Friday, Elliott's reps said the league's findings were "replete with factual inaccuracies."
Elliott himself posted to Twitter that he was “surprised and disappointed” by the six-game ban and apologized for the distraction the nearly 13-month-long investigation caused for his family, friends and teammates.
