At a “Zou to You” caravan stop Tuesday evening in Dallas, Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz spoke on the status of Ahmad Hardy for the first time since the running back sustained a gunshot wound early Sunday morning.
While attempting to leave a concert by vehicle, Hardy was hit by a bullet in the upper leg at around 2 a.m. Sunday at Kamakazy Biker Club on Masonite Drive in Laurel, Mississippi. He underwent surgery later that day at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and was in stable condition.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Hardy had been discharged from Forrest General Hospital and was heading back to Columbia to begin rehabbing his leg. Hardy is intending to return to the field this season.
In a video posted to X by Dallas Morning News audience sports digital producer Nate Sanchez — no one from the Missourian was in attendance — Tiger Radio Network announcer Mike Kelly asked Drinkwitz what he could tell the caravan stop’s audience about Hardy’s status.
“I can tell you, Ahmad Hardy has been discharged from the hospital. He’s back in MOI (Missouri Orthopedic Institute), and he’s working on a recovery,” Drinkwitz said. “The timetable for that recovery is not determined. ... We’ll take it day by day. He will get back healthy.
“When you’re dealing with elite athletes, getting back healthy and getting back to elite status is always a little bit tricky in some of these situations.”
Hardy will need time to fully recover before any decisions are made regarding his playing status, but his return to Columbia and rehabilitation process starting are positive signs.
“There is an opportunity that he could be back this year,” Drinkwitz said. “There’s an opportunity he couldn’t be back this year. So, we won’t know those answers for a few weeks, but he’s got the full support of MU Health Care, and he’s got the full support of our team as we continue to help him recover and work it day by day.”
Hardy led the Southeastern Conference with 1,649 rushing yards and scored 16 touchdowns last season. Similar offensive production would be expected in his junior campaign, and he’s already received buzz as a potential first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
If Hardy is unable to play for the Tigers in 2026, his running mate, Jamal Roberts, will likely be the primary option in the backfield. Roberts rushed for 753 yards and recorded six touchdowns of his own to make for one of the top running back duos in the country.
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