Greg Hardy Suspension Reduced: Dallas Cowboys Defensive Lineman Hardy Will Be Back Sooner Than Expected

Greg Hardy had his suspension reduced by the NFL on Friday (July 1o). Hardy had been suspended by the NFL for the first 10 games of the 2015 season, but a report from USA Today states that it has been reduced to just four games. A neutral arbitrator had been brought in to hear both sides of the issue, and he upheld the need for a suspension.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Hardy had been charged in a domestic violence case, but those charges were dropped when his ex-girlfriend failed to appear in court. The case brought more bad press to the NFL, especially when Hardy received a big offseason contract from the Dallas Cowboys. Now, a suspension has been officially put in place for the case.

In March, Greg Hardy signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys that could be worth over $13 million. There were a lot of incentives built into the deal, including paying him based on how many games he would appear in during the 2015 NFL season. He is suspended for the first four games, meaning he should be on the field for the other 12 regular season games the Cowboys will play. Owner Jerry Jones released a statement as the domestic abuse situation was evolving.

“Obviously, a great deal of our study was dedicated to the issue of domestic violence and the recent events that associated Greg with that issue. We know that Greg’s status remains under review by the National Football League.”

“Our organization understands the very serious nature of domestic violence in our society and in our league. We know that Greg has a firm understanding of those issues as well.”

Despite still being suspended, Greg Hardy will be allowed to play in preseason games for the Dallas Cowboys. Those games will come against the San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, and Houston Texans. He will then be inactive for the first four games of the regular season, during which the Cowboys play some very important games. Hardy will miss games against the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, and New Orleans Saints. Those could all be tough games for the Cowboys.

By getting his suspension reduced, Greg Hardy should be ready to play in the Week 5, Dallas Cowboys vs. New England Patriots game. It’s certainly a marquee match-up for the NFL, taking place on Oct. 11 in Dallas.

[Image Source: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images]