Charles Johnson wants Greg Hardy to get another chance
Former teammate Charles Johnson calls Greg Hardy a “good guy” who deserves another chance to play for an NFL team
Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy were teammates together on the Carolina Panthers for five years, and apparently that bond has survived Hardy’s release from the team and subsequent firestorm of criticism following his domestic violence incident.
Hardy reportedly threw his then-girlfriend onto a couch littered with assault weapons and threatened to kill her in May of 2014, and a slew of photographs revealing the woman’s grisly injuries did little to stem the avalanche of opposition to his being signed by the Dallas Cowboys at the start of the 2015 season. Originally suspended for the majority of last season, Hardy won his appeal and saw his suspension cut to just four games — the equivalent of what Tom Brady was sentenced to for his role in reportedly deflating footballs.
While most of the world has been quick to denounce Hardy for his actions, with many going so far as to say he shouldn’t be in the NFL at all anymore, Johnson is still standing behind his former teammate. The veteran defensive end told ESPN.com this week that despite everything, Hardy is really a “good guy” who “just makes bad decisions.”
“I just hope he gets out there and finds a place so he can really prove his talent and show what he’s really all about instead of giving interviews to people about the situation. He should just move on and throw that all the way back, move forward and take it day by day. Don’t do interviews,” Johnson advised.
When probed further about Hardy’s recent public remarks that he has never put a hand on any woman, despite the photographic evidence and multiple reports to the contrary, Johnson shrugged. “That’s my friend. I ain’t got no other choice but to believe him. Whatever he’s telling me, I’m going to believe that because I’ve got no other choice.”
“But at the same time, you (were) involved in the incident,” Johnson added. “So you have to man up to all the situations that you was involved in. So instead of criticizing all the stuff, just man up to all the situation and move on. Face the facts. This was something three years ago, so why are we still talking about it?”
The Dallas Cowboys have made no indication they plan to re-sign Hardy, who is currently a free agent.
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