Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy will be placed on the team’s exempt/commissioner’s exception list, which removes him from team activities for an indefinite about of time, the team announced on Wednesday afternoon. This is the same route the Minnesota Vikings took with Adrian Peterson.
Greg Hardy placed on exempt list by Panthers
The Panthers defensive end will not take part in team activities until his trial is complete.
Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Head coach Ron Rivera initially said the team was gathering information in order to make the right decision, but the team elected to follow the lead of the Vikings, who removed Peterson from the team until his child abuse case is resolved.
Hardy was found guilty of domestic violence and communicating threats stemming from a May altercation with then-girlfriend Nicole Holder. The Panthers defensive end was convicted in a bench trial in July, which he immediately appealed and is set to have a jury hear in November. The Panthers were heavily criticized for not suspending the Pro Bowl defensive end sooner, but the team were planning to allow the legal process to complete before making any final determination on his status with the organization.
Rivera acknowledged in a Monday press conference that the “changing climate” in the NFL was a factor in the team’s decision to deactivate Hardy in the Panthers home opener against the Detroit Lions. He said the team was not planning to suspend the defensive end, and said the decision in Week 2 was in the best interests of the organization.
The Panthers coach said the organization was put in a difficult position by Hardy being found guilty, and was gathering more information.
“If you play him and you win, then you have no conscience. If you play him and lose he’s a distraction.”
Hardy is playing under the franchise tag in 2014 and had been involved in contract discussions prior to his arrest. It’s unclear if he will play for the Panthers again.
UPDATE: The NFLPA released the following statement on Hardy:
“Today, Greg Hardy made a decision to take a voluntary leave of absence to resolve his pending legal issue. The NFLPA and NFL worked with Greg, his representatives and the Carolina Panthers on this matter. We support this decision and hope the best for him and his family.”
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