Missouri HC Eli Drinkwitz shares update on RB Ahmad Hardy's status after gunshot wound

Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Missouri HC Eli Drinkwitz shares update on RB Ahmad Hardy's status after gunshot wound

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jul 20, 2026 1:38 PM ET

The status of star running back Ahmad Hardy remains one of the Missouri Tigers' biggest questions heading into the 2026 season.

In May, Hardy was shot while attending a concert in Mississippi and later underwent surgery. That raised doubts about whether he would play this upcoming season. Some of those have now been settled after Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz discussed the RB's health at SEC Media Days in Tampa Bay on Monday.

Eli Drinkwitz discusses Ahmad Hardy's status

Drinkwitz confirmed Hardy has been medically cleared and is on the road to recovery. He's still uncertain when he'll begin playing football again but sounded encouraged about his status.

"We do not know what the return to play progression will be. It could take anywhere from five to eight weeks," Drinkwitz said (h/t On3's Brett McMurphy).

NEW: Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz says RB Ahmad Hardy is medically cleared from his gunshot wound:

"We do not know what the return to play progression will be. It could take anywhere from 5-to-8 weeks."

(h/t @Brett_McMurphy) https://t.co/5X4RgLqew8 pic.twitter.com/RQqf645tMq
— On3 (@On3) July 20, 2026

Missouri begins its 2026 season against the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions on Sept. 3 (SEC Network, 8 p.m. ET). Targeting that as the return date for Hardy would be ambitious after he missed most of the team's offseason program. The Tigers will also want to save him for the more challenging portion of their schedule.

The Tigers need a healthy, fresh Hardy to improve off an 8-5 2025 season. Last season, the RB ranked second in the country in rushing yards (1,649 on 256 carries) and tied for sixth in rushing touchdowns (16), earning a first-team All-American nod.

Hardy also won't want to rush his return to avoid lowering his NFL Draft stock. NFL Mock Draft Database projects him as the No. 3 RB in the class behind Florida Gators standout Jadan Baugh and Ole Miss Rebels star Kewan Lacy. He could leapfrog them before the end of the season.

"If he returns to full health and repeats his performance from last season, Hardy could be the first rusher off the board," wrote ESPN's Jordan Reid in June.

Even if Hardy's not ready for Week 1, that's no biggie. Giving him enough time to fully recover and turn in another productive season is the most important objective for Missouri and the RB.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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