NFL: Accusations of conspiracy against Elliott are 'false'

The NFL Players' Association filed a petition early Friday to block the upcoming arbitration decision on Ezekiel Elliott's appeal of a six-game suspension in part because of what the NFLPA described is "a league-orchestrated conspiracy" to hide critical information that would exonerate Elliott of any wrongdoing.

Later Friday, league spokesman Joe Lockhart provided a statement on behalf of the NFL.

"The idea that this was a conspiracy is false," Lockhart told Dan Graziano of ESPN.

The NFLPA also argued that Kia Wright Roberts, the NFL's co-lead investigator in the year-long case, suggested no suspension be levied upon Elliott, however, she was not included in commissioner Roger Goodell's meeting to discuss the findings of the investigation. Lockhart called that "unequivocally, absolutely false."

"The credibility issues were addressed at length in the investigative report," he said. "Kia Roberts' points were made very clearly. The 160-page report included a fulsome description of the credibility problems of both (Elliott's accuser) Tiffany Thompson and Ezekiel Elliott."

Elliott's appeal hearing concluded Thursday in New York and a ruling was reportedly being pressured to come from arbitrator Harold Henderson by Monday before the NFLPA's petition was filed.