FRISCO -- Ezekiel Elliott practiced Wednesdayas usual on the outdoor fields at The Star, wearing his mirrored-visor helmet, high-stepping through drills and taking handoffs from quarterback Dak Prescott.

The day before the Cowboys running back wasn't allowed to set foot in the team's shiny suburban headquarters or have contact with his coaches, much less prepare for and play in Sunday's game at San Francisco.

What a difference a temporary restraining order makes.

The court order issued Tuesday evening by a U.S. district judge in New York again blocked Elliott's six-game suspension by the NFL and cleared him to return to the field. Elliott can remain there at least until another hearing and court ruling before or by Oct. 30.

A federal appeals court Thursday had allowed the NFL to start enforcing the suspension immediately, until Tuesday's ruling froze it again.

"Appreciate the opportunity to go out here and get a couple more weeks with these guys for sure," Elliott said Wednesday after practice, "and I have an opportunity to have an even longer [temporary restraining order]. So honestly, just happy to be able to play this week."

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Elliott's legal fight is not cheap and, as anyone following along in this saga knows, it has had plenty of twists and turns. The questions are being asked -- why doesn't he take the suspension so he and the Cowboys can put it behind him and move on? What if he continues fighting and ends up serving the suspension during the end of the season and the postseason? How can it not be a distraction?

Elliott's answer: He's fighting for his name.

The NFL said on Aug. 11 that its year-long investigation found he used physical force against a former girlfriend in three incidents in July 2016. He denies the findings.

"When you get accused of something of that magnitude, you kind of get labeled as an abuser," Elliott said, "and that's just not me, that's not how I want to be seen, not how I want to represent my family. It's just important for me to fight."

Elliott still sees it that way despite the ongoing legal dispute centering on process more than what he did or didn't do. The case is based on whether he received a fundamentally fair investigatory and arbitration process by the NFL. He's also been drawn into an ongoing struggle between the league and the NFL Players Association and the broad power the collective bargaining agreement gives to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Elliott allowed that he's not immune to the seemingly never-ending nature of the legal battle.

"It's a little tiring but that's what you have a legal team for," Elliott said, "and it's not really my job to worry about it. I trust the guys that work for me and I let them do the job. ...You just take it day-by-day, there's been so many ups and downs, lefts and rights, you really don't know what's coming up next. Just got to take it day-by-day."

Elliott said it was tough to be unable to attend team conditioning and meetings Tuesday, but said that he has received support from his teammates and spent the day hoping for a legal win. Coach Jason Garrett said he talked with Elliott last night after the ruling came down.

"It means everything," Elliott said. "We're a very close group, and that's what family is for, brothers are for, just to reach out when you're in need. And my teammates have done a great job just picking me up when I'm down and making sure that I'm able to stay focused and be the running back I need to be for this team."

After some stops and starts with the running game this season, Elliott and the offense cranked out 85 of his 116 total rushing yards in the fourth quarter in the loss to the Green Bay Packers, Dallas' last game. They hope to be able to carry it over against the 49ers, who are allowing an average of 112.8 rushing yards per game, 18th in the NFL.

Prescott said having Elliott on the field or not is out of his hands, so he'll just try to take advantage when No. 21 is on the field.

"If he's playing, we're obviously happy to have him," Prescott said. "He's getting stronger as the year goes on. It's going to be unfortunate when the suspension comes or however that plays out. But he's definitely getting better each and every week.

"This week he's playing, so that's all we worry about."

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