NEW YORK — Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott’s half-season run from a six-game suspension ended Thursday when a federal appeals court refused to let him play while considering his appeal.

Elliott sat directly in front of a three-judge panel that considered a request from the NFL Players Association that he be allowed to play. But the court issued an order in less than an hour, disqualifying him from Sunday’s game at Atlanta. It appears he’ll miss all of November’s games since the court set a Dec. 1 hearing for oral arguments on the merits of the union’s appeal.

The suspension was ordered in August as discipline after the league investigated allegations he used force against his girlfriend in the summer of 2016. Elliott vehemently denied the allegations as recently as last week, saying he wasn’t an abuser.

A federal appeals court last month tossed out his court challenge in Texas, but the league’s request for a New York court to affirm it had acted properly led a judge to rule last month that Elliott must begin his suspension. After the union appealed, the lower-court decision was temporarily stayed, allowing Elliott to play Sunday.

By Thursday’s ruling, Elliott had left the courthouse without speaking to reporters, though he shook the hand of a person who shouted he was a “huge fan” as Elliott raced down steps to a sport utility vehicle.

Although the league won, the appeals judges took a few shots at the NFL for its handling of the suspension of a 22-year-old who will be sidelined while he’s second in the league with 783 yards rushing and tied for the league lead with seven rushing TDs.

Circuit Judge Dennis Jacobs told Paul Clement, the NFL’s lawyer, that he found it odd that the issue was “such a frantic emergency that it can’t wait another couple months.”

“This is not just about Elliott and the Cowboys,” Clement responded, noting that 100 players across the league had been suspended for a total of 500 games over the last two seasons.

The NFL did not comment on the court’s order.