Greg Hardy on sexual assault incident: 'I've never put my hand on any woman'
Adam Schefter of ESPN was granted an exclusive interview with NFL free agent Greg Hardy, months after his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys came to an end. Hardy was initially suspended for the first 10 games of last season after details of a gruesome domestic violence incident emerged -- though that suspension was later reduced to four games.
During Hardy's stint in Dallas, numerous dramas unfolded, including on-field fits of rage and previously unseen photos of his accuser leaking online.
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His NFL future is now in question, with the Cowboys -- the team willing to bring him on despite everything that came along with it -- declining to re-sign him. Perhaps this is why Hardy's camp felt the timing was right to set up a one-on-one with football media's most important personality.
In the brief clip of the interview that hasn't yet aired in full, Hardy tells Schefter that he has never put his hand "on any woman."
Hardy: I've never put my hand on ANY women ... In my whole entire life, No Sir. That's just not how we're raised. As you can tell, like I said again, it's the Bible belt. It's just something that's, I wouldn't even say frowned upon, just something that's nonexistent in most southern homes.
Schefter: You say you did nothing wrong, you're innocent and yet the pictures of her that surfaced would seem to suggest a woman who had some type of physical contact. How do you explain that?
Hardy: I will stop you there and say that I didn't say that I didn't do anything wrong. That situation occurred and that situation was handled but ... saying that I did nothing wrong is a stretch but saying I am innocent is correct. Yes sir.
Schefter: Did you ever put your hands on her?
Hardy: No Sir ... No Sir.
Hardy was originally found guilty after a bench trial in North Carolina, but in a jury trial, his accuser failed to cooperate with the prosecution. The case was later dismissed after a settlement was reached.
The interview will air in full Tuesday on ESPN.
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