Just a day after petitioning the court to get his domestic violence record expunged, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy was handed a 10-game suspension from the NFL.
Jerry Jones releases statement on Greg Hardy decision. Read here http://t.co/ssMMMU7Jb7
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) April 22, 2015
The move was all for show on the NFL’s part because Hardy and the NFLPA will appeal and easily get the suspension reduced, if not flat out removed since Hardy sat out all last season on the commissioner’s exempt list.
In fact, after reportedly “coming to a settlement” with his the former girlfriend he suplexed onto a pillow-fort of AK-47s and getting his case dismissed on appeal, Hardy may just end up with a fine at worst.
NFLPA case on behalf of Greg Hardy will be simple — arguing he should be grandfathered into old DV system with Peterson as precedent.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 22, 2015
According to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the league performed an “extensive two-month investigation” into Hardy’s pile driving into guns skills and determined this was the appropriate punishment to pretend to give him knowing full well it won’t stand up under arbitration.
While Hardy’s former girlfriend wouldn’t speak with the NFL either as she was busy fanning herself with a stack of $100 bills, they determined from looking at court records and photographs that Hardy had used physical force against her at least four times.
“The use of physical force under the circumstances present here,” Goodell said in the letter. “Against a woman substantially smaller than you and in the presence of powerful, military-style assault weapons, constitutes a significant act of violence in violation of the Personal Conduct Policy.”
Would it have mattered if his girlfriend wasn’t smaller than Hardy? Would it have been OK if he hadn’t bulldogged her into a futon-full of rifles? Goodell isn’t clear, but the combination of those two certainly crossed the line according to the most worthless commissioner in all of sports.
Hardy signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys that could have been worth as much as $13.2 million, but if the suspension holds up (and it won’t), he’ll barely make a fraction of that.
In addition to the fake suspension, the league has also ordered Hardy to undergo a mental clinical evaluation and submit to counseling if it’s determined he needs it.
“You must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement and must not commit any additional violations of league policies,” Goodell wrote in the letter. “In that respect, you should understand that another violation of this nature may result in your banishment from the NFL.”
Greg Jennings lands with Dolphins
In a move that was only shocking because it took this long to get done, former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings signed a two-year deal with the Miami Dolphins Wednesday.
Welcome @GregJennings! Extremely talented player with tremendous leadership skills. Great addition to the team.
— Phil McGeoghan (@PhilMcGeoghan) April 22, 2015
Jennings is a great compliment to newly-squired wide receiver Kenny Stills and replaces Mike Wallace, who the Dolphins traded to the Vikings last month. Jennings spent the last two seasons with the Vikings and never crossed 1,000 yards in either year. His last 1,000-yard season was in 2010 with the Packers when he caught 12 touchdowns to go with 76 catches and 1,265 yards.
https://twitter.com/GoesslingESPN/status/591012812828250112
Even though Jennings’ production was down, he still caught six TDs last season and averaged 12.6 yards per catch with a rookie quarterback in Minnesota. He should do substantially better in Miami with quarterback Ryan Tannehil and offensive coordinator Bill Lazor.
Other moves
The Detroit Lions cut offensive lineman Rodney Austin Tuesday after he was arrested and charged with assaulting a woman and a 12-year-old child on April 17.
The Baltimore Ravens signed cornerback Jimmy Smith to a four-year contract extension worth $48 million with $21 million guaranteed. Smith played in just eight games last season after being injured on Oct. 26 in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Smith was the Ravens 2011 first-round pick out of Colorado.
The New England Patriots restructured linebacker Jerod Mayo’s contract to reduce his potential $10.2 million cap number for 2015. Mayo has missed most of the last two seasons with injuries. The new contract will reportedly pay Mayo $4.5 million this season with a chance of earning up to $6 million if he can play in 85 percent of the team’s defensive snaps.
