Ezekiel Elliott would not miss a game this season if it was up to NFL lead investigator Kia Roberts.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Roberts testified in the appeals hearing for Elliott's six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy and recommended no suspension for Elliott.
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Roberts personally interviewed Elliott's former girlfriend Tiffany Thompson, by whom the Cowboys running back was accused of domestic violence. Roberts told the NFL about her findings but the league chose not to include them in its final report and suspension letter on Aug. 11, per the Star-Telegram.
Also, a fellow NFL investigator — Lisa Friel, the NFL's special counsel for investigations, reportedly barred Roberts from attending a meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell where Friel recommended a six-game suspension for Elliott to Goodell and other NFL executives.
Roberts' recommendation of no suspension was essentially ignored and she was not involved in the decision-making of the suspension despite playing a big role in the 13-month investigation.
According to the Star-Telegram, Elliott and the NFLPA are aware of Roberts' situation and plan to exploit it if they have to go to federal court.
Elliott's attorneys released a statement after the suspension was announced. They called the NFL's investigation "replete with factual inaccuracies and erroneous conclusions."
Goodell appointed Harold Henderson, a former league executive who has heard many cases involving the NFL's personal conduct policy, to hear the Elliott appeal. Henderson has the final say on whether to uphold the six-game suspension for Elliott.
According to ESPN, pressure has been put on Henderson to have a ruling by Monday.