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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Greg Hardy was on time for Monday meetings at Bank of America Stadium. Coach Ron Rivera says he made the decision to de-activate the defensive end 90 minutes before the Panthers and the Lions faced off Sunday at the stadium. Rivera, citing a “change in climate,” says it was in the best interest of the football team. The coach says Hardy understood. As for whether Hardy will play this coming Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, “We’re gonna go through this week and evaluate,” says Rivera.
Rivera says he, GM Dave Gettleman and owner Jerry Richardson are doing their “due diligence” before making any more moves. Rivera says, “It’s an issue that has to be correct, and we have to get this correct. We gotta do the right thing, and we’re trying to do the right thing.”
“I feel bad for Ron Rivera, for being made to go out there in front of us every single day and talk about Greg Hardy when we all know good and well he’s not the one making the final decisions,” says Brett Jensen, host of a weeknight sports talk radio show on WBT.
“I think they need to suspend him for two games and just be done with it,” says Jensen. And, “For the most part, I’d say three out of every four callers believe that Hardy should be suspended.”
Ex-Panther and current Baltimore Raven Steve Smith, who founded a non-profit that aims in part to end domestic violence, said this of the cloud of controversy enveloping the league: “I don’t condone what someone has done, but I’m not gonna be the judge and jury. That’s not my role, that’s not my place.”
Hardy still received a pay check for about $780,000 Sunday.
Meantime, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Monday that he appointed four women to expanded roles in the league. Anna Isaacson is now Vice President of Social Responsibility. Lisa Friel, Jane Randel and Rita Smith will help shape the NFL’s policies relating to domestic violence and sexual assault.
