Another day, another round of speculation on the possible suspension of Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott. The second-year running is under the microscope for myriad of reasons, including a domestic abuse investigation that the NFL is just wrapping up. Despite Jerry Jones's insistence that Elliott will not miss time this year, others don't seem so sure. Among them is former fellow Buckeye Cris Carter.
On FS1's "Undisputed," Carter (who once infamously told incoming rookies to get a "fall guy") spoke out on his thoughts on Elliott, saying he would be "shocked" if the incoming sophomore wasn't handed a suspension.
"Based on the information that's going to come out, it's going to be fairly easy to determine that something happened to this woman in her four days of being with Zeke ... This is just pure assault or domestic violence," Carter explained.
The NFL took little time to respond, via Mike Fisher, Cowboys Insider for 105.3 The Fan.
Any suspension would likely come from the Personal Conduct Policy, which is invoked when players act in a way that's damaging to the league's reputation. Elliott has had several incidents, including going to a pot shop in Seattle last year, pulling a woman's top down during a St. Patrick's Day parade and, of course (and far most importantly), the investigation into whether or not he was guilty of the domestic charges levied against him shortly after being drafted.
The constant scrutiny has, naturally, been amplified by Elliott playing for the Cowboys, who are coming off of a wildly successful 2016 campaign with two rookies in their backfield. Elliott rushed for over 1,600 yards in 2016, and he quickly became a fan favorite. Should he miss time, the Cowboys currently have Darren McFadden, Rod Smith and Alfred Morris to back him up. They also signed Ronnie Hillman recently to supplant the backfield further.