Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Monday that defensive end Greg Hardy will not be disciplined for entering the special teams huddle and slapping the clipboard of special teams coach Rich Bisaccia in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the New York Giants.
Garrett said he spoke with Hardy about how he can channel his emotions better, but otherwise attributed the incident to passion, engagement and investment in the outcome of the game.
While the video tape of Hardy's actions has raised eyebrows in the media, Garrett emphasized that the behavior "was not a big deal from anybody inside our football team and inside this building."
Garrett referenced Hall of Famer Michael Irvin as a player who encouraged teammates, even across position units.
"I think anytime you evaluate a player, it starts with who he is and what he's bringing to the team," Garrett continued. "I think certainly you have standards for how you want your players to practice, how you want your players to play.
"And those standards really don't change based on how the player is playing or how productive the player is. Certainly, guys who are really, really good players for you, oftentimes they earn credibility because of how they go about it."
The Cowboys knew they were getting a controversial player when they signed Hardy in March. Since activating him from the suspension list early this month, they have publicly addressed not just Sunday's incident, but also questionable remarks Hardy made about Tom Brady's wife.
