The first whiff of what’s to come came earlier today, when the NFL put out the word (again, announced) that the longstanding practice of finalizing player suspensions by 4:00 p.m. ET on a Tuesday is
not a rule, per se. This allows the NFL to: (1) argue that Elliott’s lawsuit should be dismissed because the suspension isn’t final; (2) finalize the suspension after the hearing; and (3) implement it immediately.
And then there are Steps No. 4, 5, and 6: Prepare their own lawsuit aimed at enforcing the suspension for filing in federal court in Manhattan, instruct Henderson to let them know precisely when he’s applying his signature to the decision letter, and win the race to the courthouse.