After a failed, abbreviated season with the Dallas Cowboys, Greg Hardy is a free agent in a climate that has thankfully never been harder on players with histories of domestic violence. Of course, the PR campaign that his agent Drew Rosenhaus attempted to mount for him also failed spectacularly, given Hardy’s unwillingness to show regret or remorse and his warped view on events that are public record. (Not to mention the missed practices! My heavens, think of the practices!) It seems like NFL GMs saw right through the ruse and are happy to pass on Hardy.
Solicited #NFL GMs on Greg Hardy. Most praised @RosenhausSports for his efforts. But prevailing opinion: "Greg Hardy? Nobody wants him.''
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) May 13, 2016
Another GM on Hardy said ownership would be involved. "Maybe…Many will probably steer clear to err on the safe side."
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) May 13, 2016
Third GM on Greg Hardy: "Going to be a very hard sell moving forward. There's too much of an allusion towards cleaning up for sake of sale."
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) May 13, 2016
Fourth GM on Rosenhaus making therapy records avail and Hardy: "He's still toxic. And obviously desperate and saying the right things.''
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) May 13, 2016
Those “right things” must have been behind closed doors, because Hardy hasn’t walked back his public comments at all. The other side of the issue, and perhaps the more pertinent one, is that Hardy wasn’t productive in Dallas the way he was in Carolina, when he was one of the best pass rushers in the league. For as much as outsiders wish the NFL would wash their hands of Hardy because they don’t want to employ violent misogynists, it’s still a risk-reward calculus for front offices, and as Werder said, if he had 16 sacks instead of six last year, he might be on an NFL team right now.
However it came about, it seems likely that we’ve seen the last of Greg Hardy in the NFL, and it’s about time.
