Greg Hardy is trying really hard to get the NFL to believe he’s a reformed man. They’re not buying it.
His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, recently released information to NFL teams to let them now Hardy is involved with therapy and counseling sessions “for anger management, temper management, domestic violence and ADHD,” according to a report by Pro Football Talk.
That’s all good stuff, but ESPN’s Ed Werder spoke with a number of NFL general managers who all had the same message:
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
Werder also reported one GM as saying the team might be potentially interested but that ownership would be involved. “Many will probably steer clear to err on the safe side,” the GM said.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has already slammed the door on a return to his team. Not only was Hardy rather impotent as an impact pass rusher for Dallas last year, but Jones was (rightfully) hammered all year long as details of Hardy’s abuse came out, along with other unsavory aspects of his past.
Likely because Hardy never did show any real regret over his actions last year, at least one NFL GM is finding his sudden reformation act a bit too convenient, per Werder:
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
Indeed, when statements like, “I’ve never put my hand on ANY woman” crop up as recently as a month ago, it’s hard not to take the “cleaning up” story as disingenuous.
Even if Greg Hardy were reforming himself, it’s hard to imagine he’d be welcome in an NFL locker room right now.
Steve Smith likely spoke up for many NFL players when he slammed Hardy for having said such a thing (his takedown was a thing of beauty).
The evidence clearly indicates Hardy did lay his hands on a woman. And to say otherwise — even if there is a minute chance it’s true — showed a complete lack of perspective by Hardy, and a lack of true remorse for whatever did happen that night on the bed full of guns.
Despite all this, nobody should be shocked if one desperate team does bite the bullet of bad press and signs him at some point before or at the beginning of this upcoming season. His past production, relative youth (still just 27) and past production (26 sacks between 2012-13) will be too irresistible to pass up.