Jerry Jones spoke to NFL counsel about Ezekiel Elliott abuse probe

BY ESPN

ARLINGTON, Texas — Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has acknowledged speaking with the NFL’s special counsel for domestic violence investigations, and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott said he was interviewed by the league this season about an abuse claim made against him.

Elliott said after Sunday night’s 29-23 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Eagles that he was interviewed once by NFL investigators about six weeks ago. He characterized there being “an ongoing investigation” but said he didn’t really know what was going on.

Prosecutors in Ohio declined to press charges over the summer in a domestic violence case involving the fourth overall draft pick.

“All I can do is not worry about it, focus on this team and do whatever I can do to help these guys get wins,” Elliott told The Associated Press after running 22 times for 96 yards and catching four passes for 52 yards against the Eagles.

CBS Sports reported earlier Sunday, citing multiple unnamed sources, that Jones raised the topic of the investigation during league meetings in Houston about two weeks ago with Lisa Friel, a former New York prosecutor serving as special counsel. That report said they were within earshot of other league and team executives.

Jones said after Sunday night’s game that the two had a “good discussion.” He said the conversation might have gotten loud but said it was a situation where he had to “talk over the music.”

Asked if the interaction was contentious, Jones responded with a laugh, “Well, I don’t know about that, but certainly, the volume of it had a lot to do with noise in there.”

In September, when Ohio officials decided not to file criminal charges, the Columbus city attorney’s office cited conflicting and inconsistent information in evidence.

A police report said Elliott, who played at Ohio State, denied allegations that he assaulted his girlfriend in July, causing bruises and abrasions.

Three witnesses told police they didn’t see Elliott assault the 20-year-old woman. Elliott said the woman got the bruises and abrasions in a bar fight.

Asked if the Elliott investigation would have closure soon, Jones replied, “I don’t know that the NFL has a closure, has a situation where they’ve cut it close, which could be a frailty of the system.”

He continued: “As you know, in law, one of the things in the Constitution is that not only are you innocent before proven guilty, you get quick addressing and then you don’t get it drawn out. It has certain time frames and has a lot of economic limitations. So we have to, in my mind, just make sure that we inject that in … [what] we do in the NFL.”

Jones went on to say that because many issues within the league are so public, it complicates how they are ultimately handled and addressed.

“That’s one of the challenges we have in dealing with these sensitive social issues,” he said. “Make no mistake about it, the NFL does not want to — I guess I have to do my disclaimer, but obviously we’re not for bullying and we’re certainly, certainly, certainly not for the issue of domestic violence. That area there is one we’re having to get our hands around.”