Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy seems to be suffering from the same delusion that many 20-somethings, unable to fully grasp the way life and the world truly work, are afflicted by. Namely, that he'll live forever and is in no danger of suffering some type of cataclysmic career-ending or potentially life-threatening injury every time he walks out of his house, let alone every time he steps onto a professional football field.
"I don't get hurt,'' Hardy proclaimed Thursday, via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. "I'm invincible.''
"I'm invincible," is a particularly ironic thing for Hardy to say, considering that only a few moments prior he was forced to take a knee at Cowboys training camp after suffering a strain. A strain certainly isn't a major injury, but it still constitutes an injury, making Hardy's words seem pretty silly and boastful. It could very well have been a joke, but, let's be honest; Hardy doesn't really seem like the joking type.
Still, Hardy's enthusiasm and confidence will likely go a long way toward advancing the Cowboys cause next season, so the Dallas faithful are apt to fall in love with the talented, if a little less-than-likeable, pass-rusher. Considering the team's moribund pass-rush finished with just 28 sacks last season, Hardy should have ample opportunity to terrorize opposing offenses next season.
Assuming, of course, that he can stay healthy. Which shouldn't be a problem, right?
"To be honest with you, with Greg right from the start, he was actually going too hard,'' Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said, per Moore. "He was going too hard in the weight room and too hard on the field early on in the offseason.
"He's a guy that is really committed to being the best that he can be. I think he wants to be a part of something special. I think he wants to come to work every day and show his teammates what he's all about in terms of his work ethic and what he can bring to our football team.
"I think he's shown us that right from the start and he's someone that we really believe in that can be a real contributing factor for our football team.''
While Hardy is currently slated to miss the first four games of the 2015 NFL season due to a suspension, there has been talk that he and the NFLPA are "leaning toward" filing an appeal to see his ban reduced further. Considering his one-year deal is heavily incentive-laden with escalators built around playing time and performance, he stands to make a lot of money be either seeing his suspension reduced or by ensuring he collects as many tackles, sacks and stats as he can in 12 regular season games and, hopefully for Cowboys fans, a handful of postseason contests.
