College football star nearing return from gunshot wound will play despite bullet ‘still being lodged in his femur’
Missouri’s star running back Ahmad Hardy will play against Arkansas on Saturday despite having a bullet still lodged in his femur, according to a new report.
The 20-year-old football star is yet to play so far this season after being shot at a rap concert in Mississippi during the offseason, just weeks after welcoming his first son into the world.
It was revealed earlier in the week that he will finally return to the field this week, but ESPN’s college football insider Marty Smith has now shared some remarkable details about his current condition.
Posting on X, he revealed a conversation with Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz in which it was revealed that the tip of Hardy’s left femur was shattered by the bullet that struck him during the incident.
What’s more, the bullet remains in Hardy’s leg and he will return to the top level of the sport regardless.
Hardy, who led the SEC in rushing yards in 2025, has spent months rehabbing, with multiple setbacks delaying his return to the field despite him being medically cleared before the first game of the year.
Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy is set to make his long-awaited return to the football field
Hardy has been recovering after getting shot in the leg at a concert in his native Mississippi
ESPN also reports that Hardy has not only struggled with his physical rehab but also mentally, fearing he will not be the same explosive player he was before the incident.
Hardy returned to practice for the first time this week and is stepping up his preparations as he edges closer to full health, and he will be given a handful of snaps against the Razorbacks on Saturday night.
According to a Kansas City Star report back in May, the incident occurred when a crowd formed in the parking lot after a rap concert at Kamakazy Biker Club in Laurel, Mississippi. Seconds later, gunfire suddenly ‘erupted.’
Hardy was believed to be a passenger in a vehicle aiming to exit the scene when he was shot in the leg, Laurel police Sgt Macon Davis claimed.
Davis, who described the scene as ‘mass chaos’ due to several vehicles trying to leave at once, added: ‘As I understand it, Mr. Hardy was already inside a vehicle trying to get off of the property, and was shot while in the car, which was very unfortunate for him.’
Hardy was a breakout star for the Tigers and led all Power Four running backs in yardage
The Tigers are 5-2 for the season, and clung onto a spot in the AP Top 25 rankings after last week’s loss to No 12 Ole Miss.
With their season still alive, Hardy’s return is a significant boost to the offense, though much still depends on how many carries he is given.
Missouri plays unranked Arkansas on the road this week, before the visit of Arch Manning and Texas on November 7.
Last season, Hardy ran for 1,649 yards – second in the FBS overall – and scored 16 touchdowns in helping the Tigers go 8-5, with an eventual loss to Virginia in the Gator Bowl.
