Mississippi native and All-American Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy is set to make his return to the playing field after being shot in his home state in May.
Hardy has been sidelined since being struck by gunfire that rang out following an outdoor rap concert at a nightclub in his home state on May 10. But his rehabilitation has borne fruit to the degree that he will be ready to suit up for the Tigers for the first time since his stellar 2025-26 campaign. The star ball carrier is set to appear in Missouri’s road game at Arkansas on Saturday.
Getting Hardy healthy enough to play again involved an extensive rehab process, one that tested him physically and mentally. On the physical side, Tiger head coach Eli Drinkwitz confirmed to ESPN’s Marty Smith that Hardy had to have a stabilizing rod inserted in his femur. The bullet that struck him is also still in his leg.
Mentally, Hardy has reportedly struggled with the idea that he may not return to the elite athlete he once was on the field.
Hardy is not likely to be the bell cow he was last season, especially with teammate Jamal Roberts emerging as a premier running back in the SEC. Roberts is expected to maintain the primary option in the backfield with quarterback Austin Simmons, with Hardy taking on a more complementary role.
