NFL notebook: NFLPA files motion for injunction for Elliott

The NFL Players Association filed a motion on behalf of Ezekiel Elliott with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday, seeking an emergency injunction to prevent the league from going forward with the Dallas Cowboys running back’s six-game suspension.

The NFLPA also requested the 2nd Circuit expedite its request and issue an administrative stay. It is asking for a decision by Friday, allowing Elliott and the Cowboys (4-3) to prepare to play against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) on Sunday.

The NFL dealt Elliott a six-game suspension Aug. 11 for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy relating to domestic-violence allegations by a former girlfriend. The 22-year-old was never charged with a crime by authorities who investigated the allegations.

The NFLPA argued in its appeal that Elliott will sustain irreparable harm without an injunction, saying that “courts have consistently concluded that professional athletes suffer irreparable harm when threatened with a potentially wrongful suspension.”

–The New England Patriots signed free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer to serve as Tom Brady’s backup.

The agreement to reunite Hoyer with his former team is a three-year deal, according to multiple reports.

Hoyer was released by San Francisco on Tuesday after the 49ers acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from New England in exchange for a 2018 second-round draft choice that left the Patriots without a backup for Brady.

–The Denver Broncos made a change at quarterback following another loss, naming Brock Osweiler as the starter over Trevor Siemian for Sunday’s road game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Coach Vance Joseph told his players of the move as the Broncos try to bounce back from a three-game losing streak after Monday night’s 29-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that included five team turnovers and dropped the Broncos to 3-4. The Chiefs intercepted Siemian three times and recovered two fumbles.

Osweiler spent his first four NFL seasons with the Broncos and will make his first start for the team since 2015 when he started seven games while Peyton Manning was injured.

–Papa John’s founder John Schnatter criticized NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for the lingering controversy of player protests during the national anthem and blamed the league for declining sales of his pizza.

Schnatter expressed his disappointment on a conference call along with other executives from Papa John’s, the official pizza company of the NFL which also includes a deal with 23 individual teams.

“The NFL has hurt us,” said Schnatter, who serves as the pizza chain’s chairman and CEO. “We are disappointed the NFL and its leadership did not resolve this.”

–The San Francisco 49ers placed defensive back Jimmie Ward on injured reserve with a broken forearm and signed outside linebacker Bryce Harris to a one-year deal.

In other moves, the 49ers promoted cornerback Greg Mabin to the active roster and signed defensive back Tyvis Powell to take the spot on the team’s practice squad.

The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Ward suffered the injury in the first half of Sunday’s 33-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He appeared in seven games (six starts) this season and registered 32 tackles, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery.

–Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after passing for a career-high 452 yards and four touchdowns in Sunday’s win against the Houston Texans.

The NFL also announced that Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster earned the AFC offensive honor in Week 8 as he caught seven passes for 193 yards, including a 97-yard touchdown, in the 20-15 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night.

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the 33-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Mills intercepted a pass late in the second quarter and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown to put the Eagles up 17-0 before halftime.

–Pro Football Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker has been named the recipient of the March of Dimes Sports Leadership Award for 2017.

Baker will be honored by the March of Dimes Greater New York Market at its 34th Annual Sports Luncheon on Nov. 28. Ford Motor Company serves as presenting sponsor and the NFL as luncheon sponsor of the event, which is attended by more than 700 leaders in the sports business industry. Over its 33-year history, the Sports Luncheon raised more than $14 million to support the March of Dimes.

The March of Dimes honors the outstanding achievements of men and women in the sports industry. Past recipients include NFL great Peyton Manning, New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera, NHL Hall of Famer Mark Messier, baseball icons Mickey Mantle and Cal Ripken Jr., tennis luminaries Andre Agassi and Venus Williams, basketball star Patrick Ewing and the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team.