Greg Hardy in interview: 'I've never put my hands on any women'
Greg Hardy says in an interview with ESPN's Adam Schefter that, 'I've never put my hand on ANY women ... In my whole entire life.'
By
Ryan Wilson
•
2 min read
Greg Hardy made plenty of news during his first -- and only -- season with the Cowboys, and almost always for the wrong reasons.
Hardy signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys a year ago and as recently as Oct. 27, executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team "absolutely" wanted to give Hardy a contract extension.
This came after Hardy, who served a four-game suspension for a domestic-violence incident to start the season, said he hoped to come out "guns blazing" in his return to the field, made some weird comments about Tom Brady's wife, explained how he planned to stop quarterback Eli Manning -- "Hit him in the mouth" -- and got into a sideline shouting match with teammate Dez Bryant after shoving a Cowboys assistant coach.
Now a free agent, Hardy's job prospects look dim -- even though he's one of the league's best young pass rushers. And perhaps wanting to drum up interest in his on-field abilities -- while showing that he's reformed off the field -- prompted Hardy's sit-down interview with ESPN's Adam Schefter.
According to the press release, the two talked about, "Hardy’s domestic violence case, his 2015 season with the Cowboys, why he has yet to sign with a team this offseason, and how he is perceived throughout the NFL."
There's even an excerpt from the interview:
Hardy: “I’ve never put my hand on ANY women … In my whole entire life, No Sir. That’s just not how we’re raised. As you can tell, like I said again, it’s the Bible belt. It’s just something that’s, I wouldn’t even say frowned upon, just something that’s nonexistent in most southern homes.”
Schefter: “You say you did nothing wrong, you’re innocent and yet the pictures of her that surfaced would seem to suggest a woman who had some type of physical contact. How do you explain that?”
(Editor's note: Here are the photos in question.)
Hardy: “I will stop you there and say that I didn’t say that I didn’t do anything wrong. That situation occurred and that situation was handled but … saying that I did nothing wrong is a stretch but saying I am innocent is correct. Yes sir.”
Schefter: “Did you ever put your hands on her?”
Hardy: “No Sir … No Sir.”
Steve Smith, who played with Hardy in Carolina, remains skeptical:
So I guess she Tripped on the carpet or something... my mom is a Survivor #DV and I am ... https://t.co/7bG7Nf0maV pic.twitter.com/YMgXEJuAfi
— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) April 4, 2016
The interview will air in its entirety on Tuesday afternoon.
