Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott avoids a suspension from the NFL after Las Vegas incident

Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott avoids a suspension from the NFL after Las Vegas incident

One day after meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss an incident from May that involved handcuffs, but not an arrest, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott received good news from the league. He will not be suspended.

The news was first reported by Ed Werder and later announced by the league itself. In its announcement, the NFL wrote that after “a comprehensive investigation,” it was able to conclude that Elliott did not violate the personal conduct policy and “no further action is warranted.”

Here’s the NFL’s entire release:

Immediately following reports of an incident in Las Vegas in May involving Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys, the NFL conducted a comprehensive investigation that included interviews with multiple witnesses, including security personnel and others with direct involvement, as well as a review of documentary and other information.

On Tuesday, as part of the review, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell met with Mr. Elliott to reinforce the standards of conduct expected of him and the consequences for failing to meet those standards.

Mr. Elliott acknowledged that he demonstrated poor judgment and committed to make better choices in the future. He volunteered to take advantage of the resources available to help him continue to grow personally.

Commissioner Goodell determined there was no violation of the personal conduct policy and no further action is warranted.

After his meeting with Goodell on Tuesday, Elliott issued an apology and vowed to avoid putting himself in “compromised situations in the future.”

“Earlier today, I met with the commissioner to share with him what occurred in Las Vegas and what I have learned from that incident,” Elliott wrote on Twitter. “I’ve worked hard to make better decisions and to live up to the high standards that are expected of me. I failed to do that here and I made a poor decision. I apologized to Kyle Johnson at the time and I meant it.

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“I need to work harder to ensure I do not put myself in compromised situations in the future. I am rededicating myself to use all of the resources that the league has made available. But in the end, it is up to me and I am determined not to be in this position again.”

Through his first three NFL seasons, Elliott has racked up 5,247 yards and 34 touchdowns from scrimmage – no player has totaled more total yards in that span and only have four have scored more total touchdowns. While the Cowboys might have two bigger priorities when it comes to handing out long-term extensions – quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver Amari Cooper are probably first in line – there’s no doubting Elliott’s importance to the team. He’s one of the best running backs in football who has been able to shoulder a large workload throughout his career.

But concerns pertaining to off-field issues exist. During the 2017 season, Elliott was suspended six games after he was accused of domestic violence. He wasn’t charged, but after an investigation, the NFL believed there was credible evidence of Elliott using physical force several times against the alleged victim. Elliott engaged in a lengthy legal battle with the league, but ultimately decided to serve his suspension late in the season.

The following season, Elliott notched a career-high 2,001 yards from scrimmage as the Cowboys returned to the playoffs. Since drafting Elliott and Prescott, the Cowboys have made the playoffs twice in three seasons.

In May, Elliott appeared to push an event staffer at a music festival in Las Vegas into a guardrail that toppled over, as a TMZ video captured. He was handcuffed, but not arrested. As we learned on Wednesday, he also won’t be suspended by the league.

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With two years remaining on his rookie contract, Elliott is a candidate to receive a long-term and lucrative extension at some point soon as the Cowboys look to keep their young core together as they pursue their first Super Bowl since the 1995 season.