Friday’s extended podcast interview with agent Drew Rosenhaus included questions about one of his more notorious clients: Former NFL pass rusher Greg Hardy.
Last seen on a football field participating in the Spring League, Hardy (according to Rosenhaus) decided not to participate in the Spring League Showcase held over the weekend in California, focusing instead on his MMA training. Yes, Hardy continues to aspire to become a mixed-martial arts fighter.
He also aspires to get another chance in the NFL, but Rosenhaus realizes the window is nearly closed for Hardy. If nothing happens over the next month or so, it’s likely over for Hardy, who turns 29 later this month.
As to why Hardy continues to find no interest in the NFL after starting 12 games for the Cowboys in 2015, Rosenhaus attributes the situation to a confluence of factors, with the 2014 off-field incident that triggered a paid suspension for most of his franchise-tag year with the Panthers and a four-game unpaid suspension in 2015 and his issues while with the Cowboys coming together to keep the rest of the league from pursuing Hardy.
Although the production has been there at time for Hardy, with an 11-sack season in 2012, a 15-sack season in 2013, and six sacks in 12 games after not playing for more than a year in 2015, Hardy isn’t regarded as being good enough to justify the potential distractions and P.R. problems that would flow from putting him on an NFL roster. A rash of injuries to pass rushers could change that, in theory. But it may take plenty of injuries to get down to Hardy’s name on the list of available veterans.
The full, 75-minute discussion with Rosenhaus can be downloaded at Apple Podcasts, audioBoom, and wherever else podcasts can be downloaded.