National Football League

Former Buffalo Bills WR James Hardy found dead in Indiana river

Published Jun. 8, 2017 2:34 p.m. ET

Dan Graf

James Hardy, who played wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills from 2008-09, was found dead Wednesday in an Indiana river, according to the Allen Country (Ind.) Coroner’s Office.

https://twitter.com/FortWaynesNBC/status/872871095979786240

https://twitter.com/buffalobills/status/872882797156999168

Hardy, 31, was a 2008 second-round pick but caught only nine passes in a rookie season that ended with a torn ACL that cost him most of his second season, when he had only one catch. The team released him in his third training camp, and that ended his NFL career.

Hardy played college football at the University of Indiana and grew up and was born in Fort Wayne, Ind., which is in Allen County. The coroner’s office couldn’t determine a cause of death, according to Wane.com.