Cowboys' Tony Romo: Greg Hardy, Ray Rice deserve second chances
Following domestic violence issues that saw each player miss the majority of their 2014 seasons, Greg Hardy and Ray Rice have seen their respective values to NFL franchises impacted significantly.
Hardy remained unsigned until the joining the Dallas Cowboys on a one-year deal during the second week of free agency, while Rice has been without a team since having his contract terminated by the Baltimore Ravens in early September.
The Cowboys opting to take a risk on Hardy has drawn criticism in recent weeks - most notably by Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings, who said:
"As a Cowboys fan, this was a shot in the gut.”
However, star quarterback Tony Romo believes teams shouldn't be so quick to cast players aside.
Romo suggested - from both a football and human perspective - Hardy and Rice are deserving of second chances.
“Is he going to help us as a pass rusher? There’s no question," Romo said in an appearance on KESN-FM 103.3 Wednesday, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. "I think that we all know that because he’s a talented player he’s going to be afforded more opportunities in the National Football League.
"At the same time, even if he wasn’t, I still think Ray Rice and Greg Hardy deserve another chance, just because I feel like everybody has their skeletons in their closet. If everything was shown over everyone’s head, no one would be given a second chance. That’s part of the way I think we think.”
Though further league discipline looms for Hardy, as the NFL continues to weigh its options in suspending him under the personal conduct policy, he has evidently received his second chance in Dallas.
The same can't be said for Rice, however, as the former Ravens running back hasn't appeared to receive any interest in the months after video emerged of him punching his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City casino elevator.
The NFL made changes to its domestic violence policy due in large part to the mishandling of both players' incidents, ensuring that far more substantial and appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken in any such cases going forward.