The Missouri Tigers football star who was shot outside of a rap concert in his native Mississippi had recently welcomed his first-born son weeks before he sustained his injuries.
Ahmad Hardy, the running back who led Mizzou in rushing yards last season, has been released from the hospital after being shot in the upper leg on Sunday morning.
Hardy, who had to undergo surgery to address the damage, is looking to rehab his injury from the gunshot wound with the intention of playing football this year.
The star, who was the top rusher in the SEC in 2025, recently became a father this year.
He welcomed his son, Ahmad Hardy Jr, back in March, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune.
According to The Kansas City Star, police believe a crowd had formed in the parking lot after the rap concert at Kamakazy Biker Club in Laurel when gunfire suddenly ‘erupted.’
Missouri football star Ahmad Hardy recently welcomed his first-born son before being shot
Hardy was attending a concert in Laurel, Mississippi on Sunday when he was shot in the leg
Hardy has since been discharged from the hospital and hopes to play football this season
Hardy was believed to be a passenger in a vehicle aiming to exit the scene when he was shot, 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.’
The early stages of the police investigation suggest Hardy was not involved in the events that led to the shooting after the concert, with a search for the cause still ongoing.
The Tigers player was one of at least two gunshot victims. After being taken to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg with an upper leg wound, it has been confirmed that he is in a stable condition.
Mizzou Athletics released a statement on Monday morning announcing that Hardy is stable after his surgery, while saying it’s too early to speculate over a timeline for him to return to football.
‘Ahmad is deeply loved by his teammates, coaches, family and friends,’ the statement added. ‘We will continue to stand beside him and his family through this difficult time, offering our love, prayers, strength and support.’
Hardy, who is from Oma, Mississippi, established himself as one of the best rushers in the SEC in 2025, finishing the season with 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns.
One of his standout games was back in his home state. He clocked an astonishing 300 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 25 carries last November when his team beat Mississippi State 49-27.
Hardy, who is from Oma, established himself as one of the best rushers in the SEC in 2025
He said at the time that he wanted to prove a point to his local teams that overlooked him at high school level.
‘I’m from Mississippi,’ Hardy said after the game. ‘A lot of teams didn’t recruit me coming out of high school, so it was kind of personal. But then, again, like I told the guys, the seniors, I was doing it for them.’
He played his freshman year at Louisiana-Monroe, where he ran for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Such was the excitement around Hardy, who stands at 5′ 10″ and 206lbs, for the upcoming season, some had even considered him to be a contender for the Heisman Trophy in 2026.
The Tigers finished last season 8-5 and lost the Gator Bowl to Virginia.
