Cowboys fans can only hope Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory don’t become Greg Hardy
New Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy calls Aldon Smith a very impressive young man. On Smith’s resume are multiple DUIs, a domestic violence charge, an NFL suspension — and 47 1/2 sacks.
That is impressive.
If McCarthy thinks Smith is an impressive young man, wait ‘til he meets Randy Gregory. Gregory only has some drug suspensions.
Smith, who last played in the NFL in 2015, was recently reinstated by the NFL. Gregory, who missed the 2017 and ‘19 seasons because of NFL suspensions, is hopeful to be reinstated as well.
That Gregory has not been allowed back in by the NFL whereas Smith is not an encouraging sign for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys have stuck by Gregory for years in a way almost no organization would considering their return on investment. Smith is receiving this chance because of his relationship with his former coach in San Francisco, current Cowboys’ defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, and McCarthy needs a pass rusher.
Don’t bother judging whether Smith or Gregory deserve a second, third, or 10th chance.
Pro sports is not like a regular workplace. These people have God-given attributes us commoners lack, and production buys opportunity.
As a person, just hope these guys don’t blow what will be their final chance in the NFL.
As a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, just pray that neither one of these guys, specifically Smith, turns into another Greg Hardy.
Hardy is the ugliest side of the desperation redemption case.
In 2015, the Cowboys were the lone NFL team that opted to give Hardy a chance. He had been suspended by the NFL the previous season after he was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend while he was with the Carolina Panthers.
Hardy was suspended the first four games of the ’15 season, and collected six sacks in his one year with the Cowboys.
Then Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett wanted no part of Hardy, but dealt with him because the guy who signs the checks said he had to.
Hardy had talent, but he was a distraction, and a bad influence on younger teammates, specifically Gregory in his rookie season.
Eventually, Garrett, who always maintained a professional relationship with the media, said he would no longer take questions about Hardy that year. The team finished 4-12.
Team owner Jerry Jones admitted Hardy’s presence was a distraction.
The Cowboys can deal with Smith and Gregory if they are just ish players, which is what you should expect.
This is only a problem if they rely on them, and they implode. Or, worse, they somehow explode and the dust covers the entire locker room.
“I’m just happy for where Aldon is right now, personally. He’s such an impressive young man. His path to Dallas is special and unique. Just thankful and blessed to be a part of this opportunity with him,” McCarthy said on a conference call with reporters on Wednesday.
“He’s bigger and stronger than he was when we had a chance to compete against him when he was with the 49ers and obviously playing at an elite level. It’s going to be exciting to see him get on the field and get back into it.”
McCarthy said he visited with Smith late last year in California. Those meetings helped.
Smith told TMZ last week, “I’m an overall better person. I got 20 sacks ... 19.5 ... I say 20 because it was 20 (in 2012). But, I was able to play at a high level with a lot of other things going on in my life. With how life is for me now, I’m just looking forward to seeing what I can do.”
Nothing about Gregory’s personality suggests he is anything like Greg Hardy. Smith is more of an unknown.
Smith has been granted another chance, while Gregory awaits his. Don’t bother judging whether or not they deserve it, because “deserve” is fluid in pro sports.
Just hope and pray they don’t blow this chance, and neither of them becomes another Greg Hardy.
This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 6:03 PM.
