Greg Hardy career earnings: How much did former Cowboys DE earn in his time in NFL? 

Contrary to what’s circulating online, former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy isn’t working at Walmart.

In a recent Instagram post, he said:

“So obviously, I don’t work at Walmart. I’ve been out here, learning some new skills. If you haven’t been paying attention, man, that’s what I do. I infiltrate, start at the bottom, learn the skills, and attack. That’s how we made over a million in the UFC. We’re gonna keep going.”

Those who thought the six-year NFL veteran had fallen on hard times did not listen to what he said in a previous Instagram post.

According to him, he signed up to work with a marketing company because he wanted to start some companies of his own. However, they used him as a greeter tasked to sell Spectrum packages at Walmart’s Garland, Texas branch.

Whether you believe him or not, he should not be working menial jobs after earning millions of dollars from the NFL.

Over The Cap reveals that Greg Hardy earned $24.6 million by playing for the Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers. The former Ole Miss standout signed a four-year, $2.7 million contract after the Panthers took him in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. His contract included a $115,786 signing bonus.

He became worth more than that deal after earning Pro Bowl and Second Team All-Pro selections in 2013. That year, Hardy had 59 tackles, 15 sacks, and an interception.

Those numbers helped the Panthers win the NFC South division title and complete a league-high 60 sacks. He also became a part of that season’s NFL Top 100, ranking 53rd.

After four seasons with Carolina, Hardy signed a franchise tag worth $13.1 million. However, he only played one game in 2014 due to domestic violence allegations by his ex-girlfriend.

In 2015, the Cowboys signed him to a one-year, $11.3 million contract. However, Greg Hardy earned only $8.8 million after a four-game suspension to start the season for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. His earnings from the Cowboys include a $750,000 base salary and a $1.3 million workout bonus.

They decided not to bring him back due to declining production and unpleasant behavior. Hardy never played again in the NFL after his one-year stint with Dallas.

After his football career, he competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s heavyweight division from 2019 to 2022. The Tennessee native had a 7-5-1 career mixed martial arts record after losing to Sergey Spivak in UFC 272.

---

The domestic violence case that cost Greg Hardy his NFL career

Greg Hardy was arrested on May 2014 after allegedly assaulting his then-girlfriend. Two months later, he was found guilty and sentenced to an 18-month probation to suspend a 60-day jail sentence.

He appealed by requesting a trial by jury, and the court agreed. However, the victim was a no-show during her time to testify, prompting the prosecutor to drop charges.

The damage has been done, though, as Hardy was placed on the Commissioner’s exempt list one game into the 2014 NFL season. While he still got his salary, he was barred from participating in team activities.

Despite being a high-value contributor, the Panthers decided not to re-sign Hardy during the 2015 offseason. Likewise, a subsequent investigation led the NFL to impart a 10-game suspension on him. However, the sentence was reduced to four games to avoid further litigation from his legal team.

Greg Hardy finished his final NFL season with 35 tackles, six sacks, and an interception for the Dallas Cowboys.