Greg Hardy - Pro Football Rumors

Cowboys Notes: S. Jackson, Tryouts, Dez

July 31st, 2015 at 12:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Notable free agent running backs like Ray Rice and Chris Johnson have been linked to the Cowboys in recent weeks, but it appears those rumors are coming from the players’ side rather than from the team, as executive VP Stephen Jones said yesterday that the club has no plans to add a veteran back.

That didn’t stop another veteran free agent, Steven Jackson, from publicly lobbying the team for an opportunity though. As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk details, Jackson made use of Photoshop and Twitter in trying to get the Cowboys’ attention.

It’s no surprise that Dallas looks like a desirable destination for free agent running backs, considering the team has one of the league’s best offensive lines and no clear-cut candidate to carry the workload now that DeMarco Murray is an Eagle. But for now at least, it appears the Cowboys want to get a good look at the backs on their roster in training camp before they make any changes at the position.

Here’s more out of Dallas:

With Keith Rivers having retired and Rolando McClain not available for the start of the season, the Cowboys are perusing the free agent market for linebackers. According to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (via Twitter), the club is bringing in Keith Smith, Lawrence Wilson, and Ashlee Palmer for workouts. Tight end Gator Hoskins is also auditioning for Dallas, notes Archer.
Dez Bryant‘s new $70MM contract isn’t going to change the way he plays, as Archer writes in a piece for ESPN.com. “It’s no pressure. That deal don’t make me,” Bryant said. “I play this game because I love this game. I don’t give a damn about none of that. It’s not going to change the way I play. It’s not going to change the way I act.”
Over two weeks ago, we heard that Greg Hardy would make a decision “any time now” on whether or not to take the NFL to court over his suspension. Based on how quiet it’s been on the Hardy front, it seems increasingly likely that the defensive end will simply accept his four-game ban, and Cowboys radio analyst Babe Laufenberg thinks the team would be in favor of that decision (link via Dallas Morning News).

Latest On Tom Brady, Greg Hardy Suspensions

July 15th, 2015 at 12:52pm CST by Luke Adams

As Roger Goodell continues to weigh whether or not to uphold Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension, NFLPA sources tell Ryan Smith of ABC News (Twitter link) that the union intends to challenge Goodell’s decision in federal court, even if Brady’s ban is reduced to one or two games.

That’s not a huge surprise, as Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets, pointing out that it has been the NFLPA’s plan all along to challenge the appeal decision in court. However, the final decision will be up to Brady himself. Breer also observes (via Twitter) that it wouldn’t make sense for the union not to plan on filing a lawsuit — it may not affect Goodell’s ruling, but the threat of legal action will make him consider every aspect of the decision more carefully.

Meanwhile, though we’re still waiting on an appeal ruling in Brady’s case, we got word last week that Greg Hardy‘s ban has been reduced from 10 games to just four games. That doesn’t necessarily mean the saga is over though — agent Drew Rosenhaus indicated at the time that he’d consult with Hardy, the NFLPA, and his lawyers before deciding whether or not to pursue legal action.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, that decision is coming “any time now.” Time will be of the essence if Hardy’s camp pursues litigation, since the regular season is less than two months away, so the goal is to make a call one way or the other by the end of the week.

Extra Points: Jags, London, Hardy, Kaep, WRs

July 11th, 2015 at 6:33pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jaguars signed a four-year agreement in 2012 to play one home game per year in the city of London from 2013-16. That deal is half over, but the Jags’ foothold in England is unlikely to slip anytime soon. When the team travels to London to play in October, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union expects Jags owner Shad Khan to announce a new four-year agreement. If it’s the same as their current accord and begins in 2017, it would mean one Jags home game in the U.K. through 2020.

The venue could eventually change from Wembley Stadium to Tottenham’s new stadium when it opens in London in 2018, notes O’Halloran, though the latter is expected to hold at least 22,000 fewer fans. That would mean less revenue for the Jags, but Tottenham’s stadium will have an artificial playing surface – which holds up better for American football than the natural grass at Wembley.

Here’s what else is happening around the NFL:

Arbitrator Harold Henderson’s decision to reduce Cowboys pass rusher Greg Hardy‘s suspension for domestic violence from 10 games to four games is getting panned nationally, notes the Dallas Morning News. One sampling, courtesy of National Organization for Women president Terry O’Neill: “What’s very very sad is that nothing has come out of the NFL that indicates a real commitment to ending the violence-against-women problem that they have in the NFL.”
The 49ers had a hectic offseason highlighted by several key departures and some noteworthy additions, and quarterback Colin Kaepernick thinks the changes will ultimately serve the team well. “A lot of new faces in the locker room and a lot of new coaches. I think the changes are for the good,” Kaepernick told the Nevada Appeal, according to CSNBayArea.com. “I feel people are writing us off, but for us, that’s all right.”
Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap took a look at three wide receivers who, in his opinion, have the worst contracts at their position. The list consists of a trio of big names, with two being potential Hall of Famers.

Reactions to Greg Hardy Ruling

July 11th, 2015 at 9:50am CST by Ben Levine

Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy has his suspension reduced from 10 games to four yesterday, prompting owner Jerry Jones to release a very brief statement:

“We are looking forward to the start of the season and having Greg be a part of the team.”

The story may not be over, however. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the 26-year-old is still considering appealing the ruling, with a decision expected early next week.

As Schefter notes in a second tweet, the next move for Hardy would be filing suit against the league in federal court. Adrian Peterson took this route and had his suspension completely erased.

Let’s check out some more notes and reactions stemming from yesterday’s decision:

Hardy was present for the entire appeal hearing, but he did not testify, according to documents obtained by ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio. The writer believes the decision to keep Hardy quiet was a “concession that a violation occurred.”
The reduced suspension “was a win for the Cowboys but a loss for humanity,” opines Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Dallas Star-Telegram. Yes, Dallas will now get the former Pro Bowler for twice as many games. On the flip side, as Hill notes, the NFL continues to look clueless as they hand out punishments for domestic abuse.
Hill adds that it would be best for all parties if Hardy took his suspension and moved on. What Hardy did was wrong, says the writer, and there’s no reason for the player to “be defiant now.”
ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert hopes Friday will the final time “we’re confused, distrustful or otherwise outraged” by the discipline in domestic abuse cases. As Seifert notes, the NFL can now refer to their revamped domestic violence policy, which calls for at least a six-game suspension for a first-time offense.

Community Tailgate: 7/10/15

July 10th, 2015 at 4:46pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re still about two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Today, we’ll focus on the afternoon’s big news and take a closer look at the reduction of Greg Hardy‘s suspension. After initially being banned for 10 games, the Cowboys defensive end had his suspension cut to four games today by arbitrator Harold Henderson, who said in a statement that 10 games was “simply too much of an increase over prior cases.”

Taking into account the details of Hardy’s domestic violence case, a mere four-game suspension sounds awfully light, especially considering Tom Brady is currently facing the same penalty for his possible involvement in DeflateGate, a case which lacked the sort of hard evidence available against Hardy. Of course, the two cases are wildly different, but it still isn’t a good look for the NFL that the two players are facing equal penalties.

On the other hand, Hardy’s domestic incident took place while the league’s old personal conduct policy was still in effect, and that policy called for a two-game suspension for this sort of violation. Throw in the fact that Hardy was forced out of action for 15 games in 2014, spending time on the commissioner’s exempt list while the legal process played out, and you could make a case that the four-game ban is still too much. Agent Drew Rosenhaus left the door open today for Hardy to continue to fight the suspension in court in an effort to reduce it to two games, though Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) says that’s unlikely to happen.

What do you think? Is a four-game suspension fair for Hardy? Should he and his camp drop their fight and accept the reduced penalty? And, on a somewhat related note, does today’s ruling alter your view of Brady’s appeal, and how Roger Goodell might rule in that case? Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts and opinions and the subject. We’re looking forward to hearing what you have to say!

Greg Hardy’s Suspension Cut To Four Games

July 10th, 2015 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

2:34pm: Henderson has issued a statement to accompany his ruling, and Albert Breer of the NFL Network has the full text:

“After consideration of all the record evidence and arguments, I conclude that the Commissioner acted within his authority and properly exercised his discretion in finding that Hardy violated the NFL Personal Conduct Policy.

“I find that the conduct of Hardy clearly violates the letter and spirit of any version of the PCP since its inception, and of the NFL Constitution and Bylaws long before then. The egregious conduct exhibited here is indefensible in the NFL.

“However, ten games is simply too much, in my view, of an increase over prior cases without notice such as was done last year, when the ‘baseline’ for discipline in domestic violence or sexual assault cases was announced as a six-game suspension. Therefore, the discipline of Mr. Hardy hereby is modified to a suspension of four games; all other terms of the discipline letter remain in place.”

1:24pm: More than six weeks after the appeal hearing, arbitrator Harold Henderson has made his decision on Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy. According to NFL PR man Brian McCarthy (Twitter link), Hardy’s suspension has been upheld, but the penalty has been reduced from 10 games to four games.

As Albert Breer of the NFL Network observes (via Twitter), Hardy’s new suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy appears to represent a compromise between the league’s old policy and new policy. While the old policy called for a two-game ban, a domestic incident calls for a six-game suspension under the league’s new guidelines.

The incident for which Hardy is being suspended occurred when the NFL’s old personal conduct policy was still in place, but by the time the case was resolved and the league handed down its discipline, the new policy had been implemented, creating some confusion about how the case was handled.

While Henderson’s ruling looks like a big win on the surface for Hardy and the Cowboys, the defensive end and the NFLPA could still choose to file a lawsuit, challenging the decision in court. Earlier this week, we heard conflicting accounts on Hardy’s willingness to continue the fight, with one report suggesting he’d likely accept his suspension if it were reduced by a few games, while another report indicated he’d challenge the ban if it was for more than two games.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), agent Drew Rosenhaus said today that he’ll confer with Hardy, the NFLPA, and his lawyers before deciding whether or not to proceed with legal action.

For now, assuming Hardy accepts the four-game suspension, he’ll have the potential to earn up to about $10.628MM this season, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. The 26-year-old’s contract has a modest base salary, but features up to $9.25MM in per-game roster bonuses and about $1.8MM in incentives. By getting his penalty reduced from 10 games to four games, Hardy will have the opportunity to earn nearly $3.5MM in extra per-game roster bonuses.

As a refresher, Hardy allegedly assaulted and threatened to kill ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder in May of 2014. After being found guilty by a judge, Hardy was scheduled to get a jury trial, but due to a lack of cooperation by Holder, the charges against the defensive end were ultimately dismissed, as he reached a civil settlement with his accuser. While the case played out, Hardy spent the 2014 season on the commissioner’s exempt list for the Panthers, missing all but one game. The Cowboys signed Hardy earlier this offseason before word of his suspension broke, and the new four-game ban is about what the team had initially expected.

With Hardy’s case resolved – barring further legal action from his camp and the NFLPA – the next appeal to be addressed is Tom Brady‘s. A decision on Brady could reportedly come as early as next week, though I wouldn’t be surprised if it took longer than that for Roger Goodell to make an announcement. Despite the drastic differences in their cases, the reduction of Hardy’s penalty might bode well for the Patriots quarterback.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Greg Hardy

July 8th, 2015 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

It has been nearly six weeks since the appeal hearing for Greg Hardy‘s 10-game suspension ended, and arbitrator Harold Henderson has yet to announce a decision on whether or not the defensive end’s penalty will be upheld. While one report yesterday suggested that the prolonged appeal process was wearing down Hardy, reducing the likelihood of him continuing the legal battle, a source close to the defensive end tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that’s not the case.

“Greg has every intention of taking whatever legal steps are necessary,” the source told Florio. “Nothing has changed on our end.”

Although yesterday’s report from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report indicated that Hardy may accept his suspension if it were reduced by two to four games, Florio’s source suggests that the 26-year-old’s camp intends to take the NFL to court if the ban is for more than two games. As Florio notes, the league’s old personal conduct policy called for a two-game suspension for a domestic incident like Hardy’s, which took place before the NFL beefed up its discipline policy on domestic violence.

If Henderson upholds Hardy’s 10-game suspension, or only reduces it slightly, the NFLPA and Hardy could argue that the league shouldn’t apply its new conduct policy to an incident that occurred when the old policy was in place. Florio’s source also notes that the lengthy delay between the appeal hearing and a ruling could help Hardy, since he could argue that the NFL and Henderson dragged their feet in order to make it harder for the Cowboys pass rusher to get a final ruling from a federal court before the regular season begins.

For now, the wait continues on a decision from Henderson, who has been mulling Hardy’s appeal for 41 days and counting so far.

Cole’s Latest: Pierre-Paul, Jets, Hardy

July 7th, 2015 at 3:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Nearly two weeks ago, I identified a number of NFL storylines worth watching during the break between June minicamps and the start of training camps. Among those topics? Jason Pierre-Paul and his fellow franchised players, extension candidates like Muhammad Wilkerson, and suspension appeals for players like Greg Hardy. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report delves into all three of those storylines today, so let’s round up the highlights:

According to Cole (video link), the Giants believe that Pierre-Paul “dodged a bullet” and that the hand injury he sustained over the weekend could’ve been worse. The team believes at this time that there’s no nerve damage in JPP’s hand that can’t be recovered from. However, the defensive end will likely undergo a skin graft procedure on his hand – if he hasn’t already – which is an uncommon health issue for an NFL player. Per Cole, the Giants are prepared to place Pierre-Paul on the non-football injury list to start the season, if necessary, which would sideline him for the first six weeks. We rounded up the rest of today’s JPP updates right here.
Even before the NFL announced that Sheldon Richardson would be suspended for four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, the Jets were concerned about eventually getting him locked up to an extension, says Cole (video link). The team considers Richardson a better player than Wilkerson, and initially preferred to extend Richardson, but his suspension, along with concern about his potential salary demands, may make Wilkerson the more likely extension candidate.
Cole (video link) hears from sources close to Hardy that the Cowboys defensive end is losing his will to fight the NFL in regard to his 10-game suspension, having been worn down by a long legal process. If Hardy’s appeal results in his ban being reduced by two or four games, he may be willing to accept the penalty rather than continuing to fight the NFL by filing a lawsuit against the league.

NFC Notes: Guion, Hardy, Panthers, 49ers

July 2nd, 2015 at 5:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Letroy Guion was arrested in February when police found 357 grams of marijuana and an unloaded gun in his truck, and there’s a chance the incident will result in discipline from the NFL for the Packers defensive tackle. However, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com observes, despite the fact that Guion’s case was closed in March when he accepted a plea deal, the Packers have yet hear from the league one way or the other about a possible suspension.

As Guion and the Packers wait to hear whether he’ll be eligible to play all 16 games this season, let’s round up a few more items from around the NFC….

Five weeks after Greg Hardy‘s appeal, arbitrator Harold Henderson has yet to announce a ruling, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The CBA calls for a decision “as soon as practicable,” which gives arbitrators plenty of wiggle room. If Hardy’s 10-game suspension is ultimately upheld, the delay will give the Cowboys defensive end less time to challenge the ruling in court.
While Hardy awaits word on his appeal, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer examines how the Panthers plan to get after opposing quarterbacks now that Hardy is no longer on their roster.
In a piece for The Sporting News, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap takes a closer look at the salary cap situation for the 49ers, a team in transition. Meanwhile, on his own site, Fitzgerald identifies the three least team-friendly running back contracts in the NFL, writing that Jonathan Stewart‘s pact with the Panthers puts the other two to shame.

Community Tailgate: 6/17/15

June 17th, 2015 at 4:01pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still a few months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This week, we’ve launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every day, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Today, we’ll be discussing Greg Hardy‘s suspension. The defensive end is currently slated to sit out the first ten games of the season and any day now we should learn about the resolution to his appeal. After all, arbitrator Harold Henderson heard Hardy’s case all the way back on May 28th and decisions rarely take a full month to come down.

You might remember Henderson as the same arbitrator that heard Adrian Peterson‘s appeal in late 2014. At the time, the player’s union was less than thrilled about his appointment.

“A long-time NFL Executive and current legal consultant cannot, by definition, be a neutral arbitrator,” the union said in a statement.

While a court eventually wound up siding with No. 28, Henderson initially held up Peterson’s indefinite suspension in December. The choice of arbitrator alone is enough to make one wonder if Hardy has much of a chance at reducing his suspension. The circumstances of Hardy’s incident, as outlined by the NFL’s letter to him, make the odds seem even more slim.

“First, he used physical force against her which caused her to land in a bathtub,” Commissioner Goodell wrote. “Second, he used physical force against her which caused her to land on a futon that was covered with at least four semi-automatic rifles. Third, he used physical force against her by placing his hands around Ms. Holder’s neck and applying enough pressure to leave visible marks. And fourth, he used physical force to shove Ms. Holder against a wall in his apartment’s entry hallway. The net effect of these acts was that [Nicole Holder] was severely traumatized and sustained a range of injuries, including bruises and scratches on her neck, shoulders, upper chest, back, arms and feet,”

The Cowboys reportedly anticipated a four-game suspension and, at maximum, a six-game suspension for their new star defensive end. The NFLPA, meanwhile, was reportedly getting ready to battle it out with the league if Hardy was suspended for anything more than two games. Hardy’s transgressions were undeniably ugly, but after sitting out all but one game in 2014, the union figured that Hardy had more or less served his time.

Ultimately, how do you think Henderson will see it? Will Hardy have his 10-game suspension reduced? Head to the comments section below to place your bets and voice your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.