IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones understood why Greg Hardy's comments from earlier in the week were criticized, but he believes any comment made by the defensive end would have drawn extra attention.
Hardy is returning from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy in a domestic violence incident that occurred in May 2014, while he played for the Carolina Panthers.
"Most of the comments are going to go the wrong way if they have any element of being positive, of being aggressive, of being the way you want to be as a football player as far as your attitude is concerned," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas Friday morning. "He has that attitude. It's not just talk. It's not just in front of a bunch of cameras. That's what he is, and he is that way. He's very aggressive out there. He's very positive. He's very confident in his ability to make a difference. ...
"Here's the deal, unless he looks like he's contrite, unless he looks like he is just absolutely whipped and really obviously sorry for what his situation, he's going to get criticized. We all know that. But he was in a football setting. Those questions that were being asked of him, the people who were asking those questions, those were not workplace. We know some things are out of order if an attorney is talking to you or a salesperson is talking to you and they're the opposite sex."
"Here's the deal, unless he looks like he's contrite, unless he looks like he is just absolutely whipped, and really obviously sorry for what his situation, he's going to get criticized. We all know that."Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Greg Hardy
Hardy said he hopes to come out "guns blazing," in Sunday's game against the New England Patriots, and he also made comments about Tom Brady's wife Gisele Bundchen.
Coach Jason Garrett addressed the comments with Hardy immediately.
"That's not how we want to operate as an organization," Garrett said Thursday. "Players and coaches in our organization understand that. We want to distinguish ourselves with our play, not with what we say. We want to define ourselves with what we do, not by what we say. I think Greg understands that now, and that's how we want to proceed going forward."
Garrett said Hardy was receptive and respectful, and that he appreciated the coach's comments, "and hopefully he will handle it the right way going forward."
The Cowboys knew there would be criticism when they signed Hardy back in March. They investigated his background, talking to former coaches and teammates. Defensive assistant Turner West went to Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee, with Hardy.
Jones has said he believes in giving people second chances, but that he does not condone the actions that led to Hardy's needing a second chance.
"Because there's other things to think about here, and I'll be very up front, certainly I'm trying to improve the football team," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. "Absolutely I'm trying to improve the football team. But I'm going to say something else too, I have seen people that can not only improve the football team, but have a contribution to make as far as things that happen in society."