Ezekiel Elliott was always going to serve a six-game suspension.
The refusal of Cowboys fans to face that reality didn't make it any less true. The running back's fate was determined when arbiter Harold Henderson upheld the commissioner's ruling. The only question was whether Elliott's legal team and the Players Association would be able to push the suspension into next season.
That goal now appears out of reach. Thursday's ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has drawn the starting line for serving the suspension in the heart of the Cowboys season. The 2-1 decision in New Orleans leaves Elliott's side with dwindling options and, frankly, none of them are good.