Gotta hand it to Jones, though, he doesn't take a challenge sitting down.
He backed his player and fought this and now it appears Elliott is going to get to play most if not all of the 2017 season.
The NFL/NFLPA collective bargaining agreement is an absolute joke.
The lawyers involved on both sides left holes in re the checks and balances so that any action by the NFL to sanction players looks like a Kangaroo Court and has no credibility with fans, media or it appears the COURTS as well.
I never did understand how a player could be suspended for 4 games on Thursday in a meeting with the NFL Commissioner and then turn around and appeal that decision within 24 hours and get a SECOND hearing in front of the Commissioner within a week to reconsider the punishment WITH NO ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE or INFORMATION to mitigate the original ruling.
The appeal would make sense if it was being heard by a third party as that person could interpret the information differently.
But going back to Goodell, I don't understand how a 6 game suspension all of a sudden goes down to 4 games as a result of an appeal that contains no new information?????????????????????????????????????????????
The NFLPA lawyers weren't looking at the larger picture of what the draft CBA was going to mean in terms of player conduct. That is malfeasance on their part.
For the NFL, the powers at be never anticipated that their flawed system of the NFL Commissioning holding sole, arbitrary power (although collectively bargained) was going to hold up in court over the long-term to challenges based on fundamental fairness and restraint of trade.