Missouri football RB Ahmad Hardy posts first health update after shooting
Ahmad Hardy is back in Columbia and working on his path to recovery.
The star Missouri running back took to the Tigers’ official social media account Wednesday to post his first official message since he was shot in the upper leg earlier this month while attending a concert in Laurel, Mississippi.
“Hey everyone, I’m back in Columbia starting the road to my rehab,” Hardy said in the video posted to X. “I want to thank everybody for all the support and all of your prayers and thank everybody for everything. I’m back on the road to success.”
A message from @Ahmadhardy29 to Tiger fans as he attacks his rehab in Columbia! pic.twitter.com/lWSednZfJ1— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) May 20, 2026
Hardy reportedly has been discharged from the hospital and has started his rehabilitation process.
It’s likely to be quite some time until there is an official update on when it may be possible for the consensus All-American running back to return to the field, simply due to the nature of his injury.
A return in 2026 has not officially been ruled out, but there is currently no timeline or expectation for when fans may see Hardy wearing pads again.
Hardy sustained a gunshot wound in his upper leg while seemingly leaving the Kamikazy Biker Club in Laurel, Mississippi. He was treated and had surgery at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Laurel Police Department Sgt. Macon Davis told the Kansas City Star that Hardy was in the passenger seat while attempting to leave the concert when he was shot. Hardy, per the Star, is not believed to have been involved in the events that led up to the shooting and was described as an innocent bystander.
The running back from Oma, Mississippi, was discharged from the hospital and returned to Columbia on May 12 to begin his rehab process, a team spokesperson confirmed to the Tribune at the time.
According to the Laurel Leader-Call, a 20-year-old man was arrested May 14 in Paducah, Kentucky, in relation to the shooting that left Hardy and one other person wounded. Charges were not immediately filed.
Hardy is one of the returning stars in college football this year. The junior led the SEC and Power conferences with 1,649 rushing yards last season — a remarkable junior campaign after transferring to the Tigers from Louisiana-Monroe.
Multiple outlets have projected Hardy as a potential first-round NFL Draft pick next year. He was expected to be one of the best, if not the best, running backs in the country in the 2026 season.
If the running back is unable to return in the 2026 season, the Tigers likely will turn to Jamal Roberts as the team’s primary running back. Roberts, a redshirt junior from St. Louis, rushed for 753 yards and six touchdowns primarily as Hardy’s backup last season, forming one of the better tailback tandems in the sport.
Mizzou also signed promising Houston Christian running back transfer Xai’Shaun Edwards and Montana transfer Malae Fonoti out of the transfer portal this past offseason.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Mizzou football RB Ahmad Hardy says he's 'back on the road to success'
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