Even if arbitrator Harold Henderson rejects Greg Hardy’s appeal of his 10-game suspension, the Cowboys defensive end could still choose the path other players have followed successfully, to take the matter to an actual court.
But Hardy may not want to pursue that, perhaps in the pursuit of more checks.
According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via the Dallas Morning News), Hardy is “losing some of his will to fight,” citing sources close to Hardy.
The notion that Hardy would be willing to drop an appeal if he can get a reduction to six or eight games is interesting, since other players who have been willing to challenge Roger Goodell’s rulings in court have done pretty well for themselves.
Whether Hardy’s simply tired of the process or needs the money an extra two or four weeks of activity would get him (the Cowboys are paying him only for the games he suits up, to the tune of about $578,125 per week in bonus and $44,000 in base salary).
Cole reports that if Hardy can get some sort of reduction in his 10-game suspension, perhaps down to eight or six games, he may be willing to drop any further action against the NFL. He’s been fighting this fight for more than a year, going back to last year’s placement on the Commissioner Exempt list which allowed him to make $13.1 million for one game with the Panthers after his arrest on domestic violence charges.
And an eight-game suspension, which would likely be followed by a two-week roster exemption, would still put him back on the field against his old team on Thanksgiving.
His appeal hearing was nearly six weeks ago, and there’s no indication when Henderson might rule beyond what is “as soon as practicable.”
But if the report is true, Henderson’s ruling might bring this particular saga to an end.
