NFLPA Files Temporary Restraining Order in Ezekiel Elliott Case
For Immediate Release
September 1, 2017
On Thursday night, the NFLPA filed a petition in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas seeking to vacate any discipline that may be imposed on Ezekiel Elliott by the NFL hearing officer (and former NFL lawyer), Harold Henderson.
This decision comes as a result of the startling revelations by the NFL's co-lead investigator that she -- the only NFL investigator who personally interviewed all of the witnesses, including the accuser -- did not support the decision to discipline Mr. Elliott. She was prohibited from conveying her views to both Commissioner Roger Goodell and the advisory committee that was paneled to make recommendations to the Commissioner.
The deliberate exclusion of her recommendations and findings constitutes a failure to follow the NFL’s own Personal Conduct Policy, which the League unilaterally imposed and refused to collectively bargain.
Arbitrary decision-making and internal inconsistencies continue to plague the most senior level of management of the League. This is the latest and best example of the Players’ belief that independent, transparent and collectively bargained policies generate the best systemic results for all parties.