NFL: Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott gives up legal fight

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott ended his legal fight with five games remaining on a six-game suspension over alleged domestic violence.

Elliott’s agents said Wednesday the decision by last year’s NFL rushing leader “is in no way an admission of wrongdoing.” Elliott had a hearing set in a federal appeals court on Dec. 1, four games into the suspension.

Wednesday was the 96th day since Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the suspension. Elliott served the first game in the Cowboys’ 27-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons last weekend. By accepting the six-game ban, Elliott is eligible to return for the final two games of the regular season.

The 22-year-old Elliott was suspended by Goodell in August after the league concluded following a yearlong investigation that he had several physical confrontations in the summer of 2016 with Tiffany Thompson, his girlfriend at the time.

Fox limiting Olsen’s access to Vikings

Fox is limiting the amount of pre-game access to the Minnesota Vikings this week for guest analyst Greg Olsen, in response to concerns raised by the team about an opposing player on the broadcast crew.

The Vikings host the Rams on Sunday, when Olsen and the Carolina Panthers are on their bye. Olsen has missed the last eight games with a broken foot, but he could return from injured reserve in a week. The Vikings play the Panthers in Carolina on Dec. 10.

Panthers lose receiver for season

Carolina rookie wide receiver Curtis Samuel will undergo season-ending surgery on his left ankle and will be placed on injured reserve.

Samuel was injured in the third quarter of the Panthers’ 45-21 win over the Miami Dolphins on Monday night when a defensive player rolled over his ankle in the end zone. The team didn’t release the specific injury to Samuel’s ankle.

The Panthers traded starting wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin two weeks ago to Buffalo in an effort to get more speed on the field. Carolina’s offense has excelled since then, racking up a franchise-record 548 yards and 30 first downs against Miami.

Samuel had five catches for 45 yards against the Dolphins but did drop a touchdown pass on the play in which he was hurt.

Etc.

Detroit Lions offensive lineman T.J. Lang participated fully in practice after missing last weekend’s game against Cleveland because of a concussion. ... The Denver Broncos promoted linebacker Deiontrez Mount to take the place of Kasim Edibali. Mount spent the first 10 weeks of the season on the Broncos’ practice squad following his release by the Indianapolis Colts in the preseason. ... The Philadelphia Eagles signed former New York Giants offensive lineman Will Beatty to provide more depth. Beatty started 58 games for the Giants at left tackle from 2009 to 2014.