In May, Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy was the victim of a gunshot wound at a concert. In the weeks after, Hardy has been recovering and is attempting to return to play for the upcoming 2026 season.
While he is stable and has been rehabbing, Missouri football head coach Eliah Drinkwitz has provided a new update on the running back’s status.
During the 2025 season, Hardy was the SEC’s leading rusher with 1,649 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, and played a major role in his team’s success.
Here’s what Mizzou’s coach said about the running back’s football outlook for the 2026 season.
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Eliah Drinkwitz provides Ahmad Hardy update
Just under two weeks after Hardy was shot, Missouri’s head coach gave an update on the running back’s status, according to Pete Thamel. While Drinkwitz’s update did provide a promising boost for college football fans, Hardy’s future still looks unclear at the moment.
Here is what Drinkwitz said, per Thamel.
Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz gives an update on star RB Ahmad Hardy, who was shot on May 15. “He’s been rehabbing in our facility every morning at 9 a.m. We’re a long way away from knowing what the football side will be.”
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) May 26, 2026
The Tigers’ head coach did reveal that Hardy has been rehabbing at the school’s facility. The answer to whether or not the running back will put the pads on for the upcoming season, however, remains in question.
Fans are expected to receive further updates depending on Hardy’s rehabilitation process and how quickly he progresses.
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What happened to Ahmad Hardy?
On May 11, Missouri football released a statement that said Hardy was the victim of a shooting at a concert in Mississippi early Sunday morning and sustained a gunshot wound. The running back did undergo surgery that Sunday in Mississippi and was reported to be in stable condition.
A statement from Mizzou Athletics on Ahmad Hardy pic.twitter.com/BnkcDIDSn7
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) May 11, 2026
Hardy has since been on the road to recovery and returned to the team’s facility in Columbia while rehabbing from his injuries.
A message from @Ahmadhardy29 to Tiger fans as he attacks his rehab in Columbia! pic.twitter.com/lWSednZfJ1
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) May 20, 2026
Last season, Harvey finished as an All-American in his first season with the Tigers and emerged as the SEC’s top rusher with 1,649 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Missouri’s first game this season is on Sept. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
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