Breaking News: Cowboy’s Greg Hardy Suspended 10 Games
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, newly signed Dallas Cowboy’s defensive end Greg Hardy has been suspended for the first ten games of the 2015 NFL Season for “conduct detrimental to the league.” Hardy signed a one year, $11.3 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys on March 18, 2015, but will be forced to relinquish the ten game-day checks. Hardy will have three days to appeal his suspension.
The @NFL suspends #Cowboys DE Greg Hardy 10 games.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2015
Per @NFL there was “sufficient credible evidence that (Greg) Hardy engaged in conduct that violated NFL policies in multiple respects”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2015
“NFL’s investigation concluded Hardy violated the Personal Conduct Policy by using physical force vs Nicole Holder in at least 4 instances.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2015
Hardy missed the entire 2014 NFL season, with the exception of the Carolina Panthers season opener during the course of a domestic violence case brought against him by his girlfriend. On September 17, 2014 Hardy agreed to be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, where he continued to collect the remainder of his $13.1 million salary. The charges against Hardy were dismissed on February 9, 2015 after his accuser failed to appear in court on multiple occasions.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport expects the most Hardy could earn this season will be around $7.33 million. His newly signed contract called for $9.25 in per-game roster bonuses. The Cowboy’s defensive end will be allowed to participate in offseason workouts and preseason games.
The NFL has also warned Hardy that if he is found to engage in similar conduct, he will be banned from the league for life.
The Carolina Panthers had placed the franchise tag on Hardy prior to the 2014 season, but opted not to resign him to a contract extension. The Panthers had drafted Hardy in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft out of Mississippi. Hardy earned Pro Bowl honors in 2013 and is the Carolina Panthers single-season sack record holder with 15 and the Panthers single-game sack record holder with four sacks.
The Cowboys, who were reportedly expecting a six game suspension when they signed Hardy, will not be without him for several crucial games in the upcoming season. Hardy is slated to miss both of the teams games against the division rival New York Giants (Weeks One and Seven) and Philadelphia Eagles (Weeks Two and Nine). The team is scheduled to have a bye week on Week Six of the season. Hardy will also miss games against the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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