Ezekiel Elliott's lawyers open to settlement but NFL says it's 'not interested'

Elliott says this is 'bigger than football' but his lawyers are open to a settlement with the league

Ezekiel Elliott legal team is definitely open to the possibility of a settlement with the NFL over his six-game suspension, according to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora, and the team has expressed that to the NFL. But NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart tells La Canfora that "we are not interested in a settlement."

This comes a day after Elliott said he won't stop his legal fight against the NFL's suspension because "it's bigger than football." ESPN's Adam Schefter reported ealier Sunday that's Elliott's lawyers unsuccessfully attempted to reach a settlement with the league to have his ban reduced.

"It's unclear how many games they have proposed to the NFL," ESPN's Adam Schefter wrote Sunday, "but neither the league nor the NFLPA intends to settle this case and have Elliott's suspension reduced at this time."

Any attempt to accept a suspension, which the NFL initially handed down in August after a yearlong investigation into domestic violence allegations, would contrast what Elliott himself has suggested -- "No," he told the Dallas Morning News when asked if he'd ever consider ending his fight against the suspension.

But accepting part of the six-game suspension -- if, of course, either the NFL or NFLPA even wanted to consider reducing the punishment -- might have been a smart play for Elliott if the Pro Bowl back wanted to guarantee eligibility for a potential Cowboys playoff run. As CBS Sports' Will Brinson noted, the NFL intends to uphold Elliott's suspension into the playoffs if the running back's continued appeal process drags late into the regular season.

It remains to be seen whether -- and when -- Elliott will serve his six-game suspension, but another decision is anticipated on Monday after the Cowboys play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

On Friday, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit granted an NFLPA request for a brief administrative stay, a follow-up to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla's denial of Elliott's request for a preliminary injunction. In other words, the second-year back was (again) allowed to suit up for this week's game. As CBS Sports' Jared Dubin explained, however, a real ruling on Elliott's future should be on the way:

It is important to note that what was granted by the court was Elliott's request for a brief administrative stay (as opposed to the actual injunction or a ruling in Elliott's favor wiping out the suspension entirely), which means that for now, he is only eligible to play this Sunday. A determination on whether he will be eligible to play during the next stage of his appeal will not be made until the court rules on his request for an injunction, which will likely happen next week.