Ezekiel Elliott is the “target of extortion,” attorneys for the Dallas Cowboys running back said Saturday, after a security guard filed a complaint claiming assault during a May altercation in Las Vegas.
“Over the the course of the past several weeks, Mr. Elliott has been the target of extortion,” attorneys Scott Rosenblum and Jason Lampert said in a statement. “Kyle Johnson’s filing of a criminal complaint against Mr. Elliott in connection with the Las Vegas incident is the latest attempt to do so. Mr. Elliott and his team are in contact with all of the proper authorities and are fully cooperating with them in their investigations.”
Elliott was briefly detained but not arrested after Johnson, a security guard, fell to the ground following contact with the running back. No charges have been filed.
Earlier this month, the NFL said Elliott did not violate the league’s personal conduct policy and would not face any discipline.
That decision prompted Johnson to file a complaint with police, he told Fox 5 in Las Vegas.
“To not have anything happen to him, the NFL is basically saying it’s OK to go to Vegas, get obliterated and shove people over fences,” Johnson told the TV station.
The NFL said last week that it conducted a comprehensive investigation that included interviews with multiple witnesses, including security personnel and others with direct involvement, as well as a review of documentary and other information.
Elliott, 23, met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for several hours to discuss the incident and what he had learned from it. Goodell determined there was no violation and no further action, such as a fine or suspension, was warranted.
Elliott issued a statement following the meeting in which he said he had made a poor decision and needs to work harder to not put himself in such situations.
“I’ve worked hard to make better decisions and to live up to the high standards that are expected of me,” Elliott said in the statement. “I failed to do that here and I made a poor decision.
“I need to work harder to ensure I do not put myself in compromised situations in the future. I am rededicating myself to use all of the resources that the league has made available. But in the end, it is up to me and I am determined not to be in this position again.”