Hardy won't be cut this week, will start for Panthers vs. Lions
CHARLOTTE â Embattled Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy will not be cut from the team said Friday, and will start against the Detroit Lions Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, despite an earlier report from a Charlotte radio station stating earlier in the day that he could be cut by the team as early as 4 p.m.
Hardy, who was convicted earlier in July of assaulting and threatening his girlfriend, hasn't been suspended by the NFL or Panthers, which has brought a lot of attention to him and the team. Hardy as appealed the ruling and is scheduled to go to a second trial on Nov. 17.
Rivera has stated all week that Hardy, who missed practice Wednesday to meet with his lawyer, would play if he was physically capable.
And he added that there were no plans to suspend or discipline Hardy until "the process" finished.
Earlier this week, Carolina owner Jerry Richardson addressed the issue publically for the first time while receiving an award for not having "indifference" on issues in life. He cried extensively while trying to get through the two-minute speech.
"Standing before you tonight, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge an issue weighing heavily on our sport and our society," said Richardson, who could barely get the words out. "When it comes to domestic violence, my stance is not one of indifference. I stand firmly against domestic violence, plain and simple."
It was his speech that led many to immediately ask why Hardy had yet to be suspended if was firmly against domestic violence, considering Hardy has already been found guilty in a court of law.
The Panthers can certainly expect even more national scrutiny now as to why Hardy hasn't been punished now that one of the NFL's star players, Adrian Peterson, was deactivated by the Minnesota Vikings for Sunday's game within hours after having been indicted earlier on Friday for "reckless or negligent injury to a child."
Follow Brett Jensen on Twitter at @Brett_Jensen.
