Former Bills WR dead
Hardy’s body found in Indiana river
THE ALLEN COUNTY, Indiana Coroner’s Office has identified a body found in a river Wednesday as former Bills wide receiver James Hardy III, according to multiple reports. Hardy was 31. Police told Fort Wayne’s NBC affiliate that a worker smelled something putrid coming from the Maumee River and later found it was a body lodged in a log jam. Emergency personnel responded at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, and the body was identified as Hardy on Thursday.
In May 2014, Hardy was arrested after attacking police officers who had responded to a disturbing the peace call at his home in Los Angeles. Authorities charged Hardy with felony resisting arrest. Six months later, he was admitted to a mental institution after a judge ruled he was not mentally competent to stand trial, according to TMZ.
Previously, Hardy was a standout at Elmhurst High School in Fort Wayne and played college football at Indiana University, where he also spent two seasons on the basketball team. He caught 79 passes for 1,125 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior before declaring for the NFL draft. The Bills selected Hardy in the second round.
Hardy played 16 games over two seasons for the Bills in 2008 and 2009 before being released in September 2010. He signed briefly with the Ravens in 2011 but was ultimately cut because of hamstring issues.
HEART ISSUES FOR SAINT
Saints defensive tackle Nick Fairley is seeing multiple heart specialists after one physician advised him to stop playing football, Saints coach Sean Payton said Thursday.
“Obviously, there’s concern,” Payton said. “But there isn’t a final answer.”
Payton says he hopes Fairley, who has been absent during recent voluntary offseason practices, can return to the Saints. But the coach said the 29-year-old defensive lineman also should be certain that continuing to play won’t worsen a heart condition that he’s had throughout his sixyear NFL career.
“The most important thing right now in our mind is his well-being,” Payton said.
Fairley, a former Auburn star and 2011 first-round draft choice by Detroit, was one of New Orleans’ top defensive performers last season. He was credited with 6.5 sacks, nine tackles for losses and 22 quarterback hits in 2016.
This offseason, Fairley signed a four-year extension worth up to $28 million, but has not participated in any of the club’s voluntary offseason practices that began three weeks ago.
BILLS POWELL SUSPENDED
The NFL has suspended Buffalo Bills backup receiver Walt Powell for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances.
Without revealing the substance, Powell issued a statement saying he mistakenly used a product that led to the positive test. He apologized and says he accepts the league’s decision.
Powell is entering his fourth NFL season and third with Buffalo. He had 14 catches for 142 yards in nine games before sustaining a season-ending injury to his left ankle in November. —AP