Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Cleared through at least Week 4

The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals set an Oct. 2 date for a hearing in Elliott's case, ESPN.com reports.

The court will hear arguments from the NFL and NFLPA as the league seeks a stay to nullify Elliott's preliminary injunction. The injunction allows Elliott to stay on the field until his appeal comes to a conclusion, which probably wouldn't happen before the end of the season. The NFL wants Elliott to sit while his case plays out in court, and the league's current request to nullify the injunction presumably represents the last tool at its disposable to accomplish that goal. The timing of the upcoming hearing ensures Elliott will be eligible to play Week 3 in Arizona and Week 4 against the Rams. He's looking to bounce back from a career-worst performance from Week 2 against the Broncos.