Monday's NFL: Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott detained by police at Vegas music festival
Las Vegas — Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott was handcuffed by police, but not arrested, after a scuffle involving event staff at a Las Vegas music festival, officials said Monday.
The 23-year-old running back was detained briefly about 3 a.m. Saturday near a gate to the overnight Electric Daisy Carnival at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway after police officers saw him “push a security officer to the ground,” Officer Laura Meltzer said in a statement.
“The security guard who was the victim of the misdemeanor battery refused to press charges,” the statement said, and the officers released Elliott. He was not charged with a crime.
Cell-phone video posted by celebrity website TMZ appeared to show Elliott speaking with a woman and then with several security and event staff members, including one who falls backward over a metal parking area barricade before police arrive. Elliott is handcuffed and led away.
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Elliott’s agent Frank Salzano said Monday that Elliott was released shortly after the video ends; that event security misconstrued the situation and overreacted; and that Elliott left Las Vegas for Dallas to be at his youth football camp on Sunday. The agent identified the woman in the video as Elliott’s girlfriend.
Salzano declined to respond to the police statement.
“The video speaks for itself,” he said.
The NFL declined to comment on the situation.
Elliott has twice led the NFL in rushing since being drafted in 2016. He has 4,048 yards rushing and 28 TDs on the ground over his three-year career.
He was suspended by the NFL in 2017 for six games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after an investigation of allegations he had several physical confrontations in the summer of 2016 with his girlfriend at the time.
Elliott denied the allegations, saying he was not an abuser, and fought the suspension for several weeks in several courts before finally serving the suspension.
Extra points
Washington linebacker Reuben Foster appeared to injure his left knee during his first snap at an offseason practice Monday and was taken off the field on a cart.
Foster stepped on one of offensive lineman Tyler Catalina’s feet, his left leg landed wrong and he went down in obvious pain. His left leg was stabilized before he was carted off, and while the team awaits an MRI and other tests, it didn’t look good.
“We’ll hope for the best right now until we get the results, but very concerning, for sure,” coach Jay Gruden said after the first day of organized team activities. “I’ll just have to wait and see before I get too emotional about it.”
Washington claimed Foster off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers after a domestic-violence arrest in Tampa, Florida, in November. Prosecutors there decided in January not to pursue a case against the 25-year-old, dismissing the first-degree misdemeanor battery charge. The NFL fined Foster two game checks for the upcoming season but did not suspend him.
... The Denver Broncos will induct longtime cornerback and new Hall-of-Fame member Champ Bailey into the team’s Ring of Fame.
The ceremony will take place Oct. 13. It’s been quite a memorable year for the 40-year-old Bailey, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 3.
Bailey played 10 seasons for the Broncos after being acquired in a trade with Washington. He started in 132 of 135 regular-season games for Denver and had 34 interceptions. He also led the team to five postseason appearances.
... Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was fined a little more than $300 to resolve a traffic violation that resulted in his arrest last month. Fournette pleaded no contest Monday to driving with a suspended license and was docked $303 in fines and court fees. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped two other charges: speeding and driving with illegal tint. Fournette has until July 1 to pay the fine.
... The New York Jets have signed free-agent punter Matt Darr and waived tight end Jordan Leggett.