VIDEO: Adam Schefter on Greg Hardy: "I found him to be a changed guy"

Adam Schefter’s full interview with Greg Hardy will air on NFL Live this afternoon. The ESPN reporter called into the Dan Patrick Show to talk about his experience sitting down with the controversial figure.

Schefter was asked by Patrick if he believed Hardy’s version of events (Hardy said he was innocent and claimed domestic abuse is not part of Southern culture because of religion).

After initially stating his opinion didn’t matter, Schefter offered that his view of Hardy has changed.

“I went in with the idea that this guy is a monster; I came out of there with a very different feeling,” he said. “This is a guy who has managed to say the wrong things at the wrong time. I found him to be a changed kind of guy.”

A few things:

• Schefter’s assertion that his opinion doesn’t matter in the big picture is accurate. He’s a well-respected reporter and has earned the public’s trust to remain objective.
• Having said that, it’s very interesting that he gave such an answer after showing reluctance to respond. If his goal was to not make headlines, he failed.
• Although Schefter didn’t exactly jump on the pro-Greg Hardy train, he’s now among a very small minority of media types who believe there’s been any rehabilitation in the free agent’s life.

It will be interesting to see if there is pile on for Schefter’s expressing this opinion. Considering the current climate, it’s to be expected. It is refreshing, though, to hear the usually buttoned-up Schefter go off-script.