The clock is ticking on arbitrator Harold Henderson, and many expect he’ll rule on Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension on Monday. Currently, that’s unlikely.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Henderson isn’t expected to issue a ruling until Tuesday, at the earliest.
If Henderson doesn’t issue a ruling by Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET, Elliott automatically will be available for Week One against the Giants. At 6:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Judge Amos L. Mazzant III will hear arguments regarding the effort to block the suspension pending outcome of the lawsuit filed by Elliott on Friday.
Henderson’s work will necessitate consideration of hundreds of pages of testimony and even more pages of investigative reports and other documents. And he’ll need to craft a ruling that will be highly scrutinized by the media and, inevitably, the court system.
If Henderson rules in favor of Elliott and overturns the suspension, the NFL will have no recourse and the case will end.