Goodell makes 1st public comments on Elliott suspension

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke publicly about the six-game suspension handed to Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott on Monday night.

Speaking at a season-ticket holder forum with Arizona Cardinals fans, Goodell was asked about beginning a second consecutive season with a star player suspended.

"Those things are dictated by circumstances," Goodell said, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss.

"We do everything we can to make sure we're enforcing our policies and holding standards to the highest level. That's an unfortunate part of that, but that is what you do."

The league adopted a new policy in 2014 that would levy a baseline six-game suspension without pay for a domestic violence offense. Elliott's case was investigated for more than a year before the suspension was handed down on Friday.

Elliott is expected to appeal the ban.

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