Carolina Panthers Star, Greg Hardy Deactivated For Sundays Game Due To Domestic Violence Conviction

There seems to be a lot going on in the NFL world this week. First it was Ray Rice, then Vikings star, Adrian Peterson and now it is Carolina Panthers defensive end star, Greg Hardy.

MStars News has learned that the Carolina Panthers have decided to deactivate Hardy for Sunday's opening game against the Detroit Lions, as a result of his domestic violence conviction. The decision was made by the team this morning and it seems fairly obvious it's all because of the Ray Rice situation, according to TMZ. 

This summer, a Mecklenburg County, North Carolina judge found the defensive end star guilty of attacking his girlfriend, Nicole Holder and threatening her life during an altercation that happened back in May. At that time, the Panthers and the NFL did nothing to punish Hardy as he appealed the decision and proceeded along with a jury trial.

Now the NFL will not be taking any changes after being criticized for how they handled the Ray Rice domestic violence scandal, as the Panthers take the field Sunday without Hardy.

According to ESPN, coach Ron Rivera will address Hardy's situation and his future with the team after the game.

Rivera revealed on Friday that the Panthers hadn't changed their minds on where they stood with the Hardy situation,  whose jury trial is scheduled for Nov. 17.

"We are in a process and we're letting the process play its way out,'' Rivera said on Friday. "Because of that, we're following through with the situation, set of circumstances. We're not trying to do anything below board or way above board. ''

TMZ says that Holder claims that the Panthers star beat her up badly and threatened to kill her in a jealous rage.

Holder previously testified that Hardy became angry that night back in May, when he heard a Nelly song at a nightclub. Hardy was upset at the song, and Holder because she had briefly dated the rapper when she was on a break from the defensive end player.