Former NFL Pro Bowler, UFC fighter Greg Hardy arrested for allegedly assaulting family member

Former NFL Pro Bowler Greg Hardy, who later pursued careers in UFC and boxing, was arrested in Richardson, Texas, for allegedly assaulting a family member, according to jail records. Hardy, who last played for the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, was booked at 2:29 p.m. Wednesday and remained in custody with no bond set as of Thursday morning. Records indicate he was booked on “assault causing bodily injury to a family member.”

Hardy, 36, was a defensive end in the NFL for six seasons. The Carolina Panthers selected Hardy in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss. He emerged as one of the top pass rushers in the league, recording 15 sacks in 2013. However, his career was derailed by off-field issues, including a domestic violence arrest in 2014 that led to a suspension. He appeared in only one game that season while on the commissioner’s exempt list as the case unfolded.

Carolina opted not to re-sign Hardy after the season. He joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2015 — a move that sparked criticism due to his legal history. Hardy was initially suspended 10 games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, later reduced to four. He spent just one season in Dallas and never returned to the league.

After his NFL career ended, Hardy transitioned to combat sports. He compiled a 7-5 record as a professional mixed martial artist, including several bouts in the UFC from 2019 to 2022 in the heavyweight division. He later shifted to boxing, where he competed in both professional and exhibition matches.

Hardy has encountered additional legal trouble since leaving the NFL. In 2016, he was arrested in Texas and charged with cocaine possession, which was later dropped after he completed a pretrial diversion program. His 2014 domestic violence case, which initially led to a conviction, was dismissed on appeal when the accuser did not appear in court. The charges were later cleared from his record.