Player’s union seeks new court order for banned Elliott

The NFL Players Association went to a New York court on Monday seeking again to block the league’s suspension of Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. The union’s motion is in response to a ruling last week by the Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana that allowed the NFL’s ban to go into effect.The appeals court judges voted 2-1 in favor of the NFL, saying the Texas court that blocked the suspension in December was not the proper venue for the case. Elliott, 22, was suspended for six games by the NFL over accusations he assaulted his ex-girlfriend. The punishment was handed down by commissioner Roger Goodell on August 11 after a 13-month league investigation. But Elliott, the fourth overall selection in the 2016 draft, was never arrested nor charged by police in the incident.With the case in court, Elliott has played five games for the Cowboys this season. On Monday morning, the NFLPA acknowledged that his suspension was in effect and he was not allowed at the team’s facilities.The union has already requested a hearing of the full panel of judges with the Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse last week’s decision by the three-judge panel. But they opted to seek action from the New York court in a bid to allow Elliott to play in the meantime. “The Texas action is now in a procedural limbo such that the NFLPA must seek preliminary injunctive relief before this court,” the NFLPA wrote.Packers QB Rodgers will undergo shoulder surgeryGreen Bay Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers will need surgery to repair his broken right collarbone, coach Mike McCarthy said on Monday. McCarthy said the injury to Rodgers’ throwing arm could “potentially” end his season but no final decision would be made on a return to the lineup until after the operation.“Aaron Rodgers suffered a significant injury in the game,” McCarthy said during Monday’s practice. “He will require surgery. He will be out a significant amount of time, potentially his season could be over. “He will have surgery in the near future. And after we see how that goes we will focus on getting Aaron healthy. That’s all that really matters right now.”The 33-year-old NFL signal caller suffered the injury in the opening quarter of the Packers’ 23-10 loss at Minnesota on Sunday. Rodgers was hurt after taking a hard hit from Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr and falling to the turf on his throwing shoulder. X-rays showed the extent of the damage. McCarthy described the hit as illegal. “He’s out of the pocket, he’s clearly expecting to get hit,” McCarthy said. “To pin him to the ground like that, I felt it was an illegal act. To sit here and lose any of your players on something like that, it doesn’t feel very good. I didn’t like the hit. It was unnecessary, totally unnecessary, in my opinion.”Rodgers completed two-of-four throws for 18 yards before the injury. He missed seven games in 2013 after suffering a broken left collarbone. Brett Hundley and Joe Callahan will fill in at quarterback for Rodgers. McCarthy was adamant Monday that the team wasn’t interested in bringing in another veteran quarterback, snapping at a reporter who floated the possibility of free agent Colin Kaepernick.Hundley, who replaced Rodgers on Sunday, will make his first start Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field.