Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy, one of the Southeastern Conference’s top rushers last season, was shot early Sunday morning at a concert in Mississippi and is in stable condition after undergoing surgery, university athletics officials said Monday.
Hardy, a 20-year-old junior from Oma, Miss., sustained a gunshot wound and had surgery Sunday in Mississippi, Mizzou Athletics said in a statement. He is alert and moving around, with optimism he will play football again, though no timetable has been set for his return to activities, the school said.
“Mizzou Football student-athlete Ahmad Hardy was the victim of a shooting at a concert in Mississippi early Sunday morning and sustained a gunshot wound,” the statement read. “Ahmad underwent surgery Sunday in Mississippi and is in stable condition.”
The school added: “Ahmad is deeply loved by his teammates, coaches, family and friends. We will continue to stand beside him and his family through this difficult time, offering our love, prayers, strength and support.”
No further details about the incident, including the name or location of the concert, the circumstances of the shooting or any police investigation, were released in the university’s statement or early news reports.
Hardy transferred to Missouri from Louisiana-Monroe after the 2024 season and burst onto the national scene in 2025. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound back rushed 256 times for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns, setting a Missouri single-season rushing record. He finished second nationally in rushing yards and was a Doak Walker Award finalist as the nation’s top running back. He earned multiple SEC and national weekly honors.
The Tigers open the 2026 season Sept. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. No updates on Hardy’s availability for the upcoming campaign were provided.
