Zeke can still eat Sunday for Cowboys

NEW YORK (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott got the green light from a judge today to play this weekend, although the long run through the courts by the Dallas Cowboys star over his six-game suspension is not done.

After a ruling by a federal appeals court in New York, coach Jason Garrett said the star running back would practice that day and play in Sunday's home game against Kansas City.

"We'll make sure he's ready to go," Garrett said. "Zeke's a smart guy. He's played a lot of football for us in a short period of time."

Elliott's status for games beyond Sunday will be decided by a three-judge panel, perhaps as early as next week.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told his radio show the availability of a player such as Elliott based on what a court decides is a "new experience for us."

The Elliott suspension has been weaving through the courts since he was ordered in August to serve the ban for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy. The suspension came after the NFL investigated his alleged use of force in the summer of 2016 against his girlfriend.

Prosecutors in Columbus, Ohio, decided not to pursue the case in the city where Elliott starred for Ohio State, citing conflicting evidence. Elliott denied the allegations under oath during his NFL appeal.