Tuesday 5 September 2017 16:16, UK
The NFL is asking a federal court to toss a request from Ezekiel Elliott's legal team for a temporary restraining order that would prevent the league from enforcing a suspension of the Dallas running back over a domestic violence case.
The filing Monday night said the request on Elliott's behalf was invalid because it was asking the court to stop a ruling from Harold Henderson before the arbitrator had even made a decision on an appeal of the six-game suspension for last year's NFL rushing leader.
Elliott was suspended when the NFL concluded after a year-long investigation that he had several physical altercations with his girlfriend at the time last summer in Ohio.
Prosecutors declined to pursue the case, citing conflicting evidence. Elliott has denied wrongdoing.
The NFL filed a response to the request for a restraining order and a motion to dismiss in federal court in Sherman, Texas, about 65 miles north of Dallas.
Both filings made similar arguments, including that the NFL Players' Association was trying "to beat the National Football League to the courthouse in a race that has not even begun".
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The regular season of home and away matches run from September to December 2017, culminating in PlayOffs from January 6, 2018 and the Super Bowl on February 4, 2018 at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota to determine the world champion.
