Greg Hardy made headlines last week after some poor word choice and inappropriate comments about Tom Brady’s wife, Gisele Bundchen, and now, the NFL is speaking out.
The Dallas Cowboys defensive end — who returned this week from a four-game suspension for being found guilty by a county court and the NFL of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, throwing her onto a pile of guns and threatening to kill her — started off his bad PR tour by saying Wednesday he was ready to come out “guns blazing.” Hardy continued to sound completely remorseless by going on about how excited he was to play the New England Patriots solely because Bundchen would be there.
And the NFL wants nothing to do with Hardy’s words.
“I couldn’t disagree more with Greg Hardy’s comments, and they do not reflect the values of the league,” NFL vice president of social responsibility Anna Isaacson told NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Sunday. “We are working hard to bring attention to the positive role models many other players represent and also to continue our education with all members of the NFL family.”
Isaacson went on to say that she was disappointed that Hardy apparently learned nothing from the domestic violence and sexual assault education he received with the Cowboys this summer.
“I am disappointed with (Hardy’s comments),” Isaacson said. “We spend a lot of time at the NFL educating our players on domestic violence and sexual assault. That’s what we control here, we control education. We control training, we control all the league does from a public perspective and public service, working with non-profit organizations. We can control that. So that everyone in the NFL family has the services and resources that they need if they need help.”
The NFL Players Association also spoke out, though they didn’t dissociate themselves with Hardy’s comments like the league did.
“We prefer that all the networks and media pay more attention to players who have been recognized for their good deeds,” the NFLPA said in a statement.
And with a music video surfacing recently that makes Hardy look even worse, one can only hope that the NFL plans to make sure Hardy continues to be educated.
Thumbnail photo via Tim Heitman/USA TODAY Sports Images
