7:42pm: Jerry Jones has issued a statement in light of today’s events (Twitter link via ESPN’s Todd Archer):
“While we did not have access to the photos that became public today, we were and are aware of the serious nature of this incident. We as an organization take very this seriously. We do not condone domestic violence. We entered into the agreement with Greg fully understanding that there would be scrutiny and criticism. We have given Greg a second chance. He is a member of our team and someone who is grateful for the opportunity he has been given to move forward with his life and his career.”
4:09pm: Sources tell David Moore of the Dallas Morning News that the photos published today by Deadspin were not made available to the Cowboys. However, those sources stressed that the team was aware of those photos and “had an understanding of what they showed.”
2:34pm: Approximately a year and a half after Greg Hardy was arrested on misdemeanor charges of assault and communicating threats in Charlotte, Deadspin’s Diana Moskovitz has an in-depth report on the events of that night, citing police reports and photos that had not previously been made public. The details – and the photos – are ugly, and raise more questions about how much Jerry Jones and the Cowboys knew before signing Hardy to a one-year contract this offseason.
According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter), Cowboys officials are aware of the photos that have surfaced of Nicole Holder’s injuries, and have no comment. Given how often Jerry and Stephen Jones speak publicly about the Cowboys, it should only be a matter of time until they have to address the latest Hardy report in some form or another, but there has been no statement from the club yet.
Although they haven’t spoken yet today, both Jerry and Stephen Jones have publicly voiced a desire in recent weeks to extend Hardy beyond the 2015 season, despite his continued questionable behavior both on and off the field. It’s hard to imagine the Joneses doubling down on that sentiment now, but they’ve given no indication yet that their stance on Hardy has changed.
As a result of the NFL’s own investigation into the Hardy situation, the league had access to all the photos of Holder’s injuries published today by Deadspin, and viewed seven additional photos, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links). The NFL took that evidence into consideration when making the decision to suspend Hardy for 10 games, though that penalty was reduced to four games after the defensive end appealed it.
As for the Cowboys, they signed Hardy before the NFL announced a suspension, and it’s not clear whether or not they’d seen the same photos the league did. Of course, as Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets, if the Joneses hadn’t been aware of the extent of the evidence against Hardy before today, it’s likely because they chose not to look too closely.
Ok let’s not look at Jerry jones for a second… Did the NFLPA have access to all the info including the pictures that Goodell used to suspend for 10 games? If so its just as disgusting that they helped get the suspension reduced.
How any player in the NFL can be proud of the NFLPA today is beyond me. You can say it’s the purpose of the Union but when do the players take ownership and say enough is enough?
So nice to be a athlete! They still sign million dollar contracts after doing drugs, beat their women, hit their kids and fight dogs.
So 2nd chanced only apply to the poor. I’m condoning his actions but you sound more jealous than concerned about abuse.
I’d be inclined to agree. Just as a state’s attorney’s job is not always to seek as much jail time as possible, the NFLPA’s job should not be to reduce a suspension at all costs. It reflects poorly on the league and on the Union itself.
A state attorney is not equatable to the NFLPA, it is the defense attorney that would be analogous to the NFLPA and it is always their job to defend their client to the fullest. The state attorney would be more comparable to the NFL or Roger Goodell.
“Greg is appreciative of his opportunity..” Um, yeah, so?? His “appreciation” makes it OK to beat the hell out of women? Hey Jerry, you need a running back, so why not offer Ray Rice the same opportunity? Pathetic, lying loser. So happy you feel as though he is a leader and the team respects him. Good luck, Cowboys fans.
Ahh life in a fish bowl A well appointed fish bowl but the things committed in pro sports reflect society As a whole but political groups and there agendas wait for the national stage that the average joe doesn’t offer and jumping on the political bandwagon that all network reporters drool over. I’m not crying the blues for these overpaid superstars but they grow up in a bubble of protection nurturing worship and girls idolizing future pay checks present popularity and physiques. They are given entitlement and protection from parents teachers and coaches when they find out they ARE PHYSICAL FREAKS teachers pamper them, coaches protect them schools schill for them and girls will literally do ANYTHING for them and when they act like spoiled children on and off the field we act horrified. You see we are looking at the ghost of Christmas for our children. See society is raising their everyday children the way athletes have been coddled and protected and told their special. Schools are doing it . Families do it and everybody has a special self esteem to be protected. Hardy represents what is happening to ALL American children. No discipline, no standards and EVERYTHING THEY DO IS SPECIAL JUST LIKE OUR ATHLETES! Protecting them their feelings no discipline and giving them the expectation that the world will applaud no matter what little effort they put in they are now budding little athletes without the ability but with all the expectation and the first time the boss says your fired or criticizes his work he kicks the dog. Beats his wife or worse because they are ALL PAMPERED AND EXPECT THAT PAMPERING TO CONTINUE THERE WHOLE LIFE THROUGH and when they fail or are disciplined in the real world they are not psychologically fit to handle standards or discipline that late in life and act out in anger. Athletes are a mirror the sports world holds up to our collective faces. No discipline, constant praise, no standards create a spoiled individual just like athletes that my friends is one reason violence across the board is on the rise. Nobody disciplines, nobody parents parenting has turned into being buddies and not being old fogeys . How else do you see forty somethings with hats on backwards or stretch pants that say juicy. Athletes are where ALL our kids are heading. BTW Hardy needs the NFL to fire him and he needs jail time but he is the vanguard of kids everywhere in today’s permissive everything goes society.