Ron Rivera: Greg Hardy will play again but sitting him was in Panthers' 'best interest'

CHARLOTTE — Acknowledging that the "climate has changed" with a league embroiled in scandals involving domestic and child abuse, Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera said he made the decision to deactivate defensive end Greg Hardy before Sunday's 24-7 win against the Detroit Lions.

Rivera indicated he made the move after consulting with team owner Jerry Richardson and general manager Dave Gettleman.

"The decision was made that we believe this was in the best interest of the Carolina Panthers," Rivera said. "I made this decision this morning."

What swayed Rivera, who said as late as Friday he expected to start Hardy, who was convicted by a district judge on two counts of assaulting and communicating a threat to a female?

"My rationale is that it was in the best interest of the Carolina Panthers. We had to do this. I did this. And that's it," Rivera said.

Except that the situation that many Panthers fans applauded isn't over.

Hardy appealed his verdict and is awaiting a Nov. 17 jury trial. He was given a 60-day suspended sentence and 18 months probation.

Asked if he expected Hardy, the team's franchise-tagged pass rusher, to play again, Rivera said: "He will play as we go through this process, and the process works itself out in the right direction.

"This is a very serious situation set of circumstances. But we're going to work things out. Hopefully, we get it right."

However the coach couldn't say definitively if Hardy will next Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I really can't," Rivera said. "There's a lot to be looked at, measured and weighed. The climate has changed. And we have to most certainly look at things the right way because we really do have to get this right. I get that part of it. Believe me."

Rivera said the decision on Hardy was not made in a vacuum.

"The organization had discussions," he said. "At the end of the day, I had to make the decision that was in the best interest of the Carolina Panthers.

"This is a very difficult situation that the league is dealing with right now. Teams are dealing with them. We're doing the best we can."

Hardy played in Carolina's season-opening win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was supposed to start against the Lions. But his deactivation came against the backdrop of a league embroiled in scandal after last week's indefinite suspension of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice after TMZ released graphic video of Rice knocking out his then-fiancee. The Minnesota Vikings swiftly deactivated star tailback Adrian Peterson following his indictment Friday on a charge of injury to a child. Peterson turned himself into police in Montgomery County, Texas, early Saturday morning and was released on $15,000 bond.

"We're not infallible," Rivera said. "We make mistakes. The decision I made today was based on all the information I tried to get from the people I talk with and then going forward.

"We have a young man (Hardy) who is going through a very difficult time as well. Just don't forget that, OK? And there's a lot of people involved. There's a lot of other people who are going through some difficult times as well. Just don't forget that, either.

"It's a very serious issue and we're trying to treat it with as much dignity as possible."

Carolina defensive tackle Dwan Edwards said Rivera addressed the team shortly before kickoff to announce the decision on Hardy.

"Coach said he made a call," Edwards said. "Ron addressed us a little bit. The climate kind of changed. ... We focused on what we had to do."

Four days after longtime Panthers owner Richardson broke down as he accepted the Echo Foundation Award Against Violence, the franchise would have sent the wrong message to their fan base if Hardy had been allowed to play.

"I would have been upset if he had been allowed to play," long-time Panthers fan Ginny Grenda, 43, told Paste BN Sports outside Bank of America Stadium on Sunday morning. "The NFL must do more to stand up against domestic violence."

Grenda's husband, Michael, felt the Panthers were forced to take a stand under mounting pressure.

"I'm a little shocked they deactivated him," he said. "I'm glad they took a stand. I'm a little concerned it's a little too late."

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