Dallas Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott is facing a six-game suspension, which NFL Network announced on Friday and was first reported by ESPN. The suspension was announced by the NFL shortly after and will take place over Dallas' first six games of the season. That means that Elliott would miss the Cowboys' road game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium during Week 7.
"The ruling comes after the NFL's year-long investigation into multiple incidents involving Elliott, including domestic violence accusations made against him by a woman who identified herself as his former girlfriend to authorities," wrote NFL.com on Friday morning.
The Cowboys' matchup with the 49ers would be the final game of Elliott's suspension. Despite it being a Week 7 matchup, it is Dallas' sixth game of the season because of a bye week during the preceding week.
Elliott, who has denied the allegations against him, has three days to appeal the ruling by the league. Should he be successful, it could alter the suspension time frame.
Under the terms of the NFL's personal conduct policy, players who have committed domestic violence are subject to "a baseline" suspension of six games without pay. It does not matter if the player is convicted of a crime or not and is based on an investigation by the league.
The alleged victim, who is reportedly an ex-girlfriend of Elliott's, claims that the running back assaulted her on five separate occasions over the course of a week in July of 2016, according to the Columbus City Attorney's Office. An NFL investigation was launched after the woman filed a police report last summer. Elliott was interviewed by NFL investigators in October and again last month while phone records and other pertinent documents were turned over in May.
In October of 2016, Elliott rushed for 138 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown against the 49ers. Other running backs on the Dallas roster include Alfred Morris, Darren McFadden, and Ronnie Hillman.