James Hardy, a former NFL wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills, was found dead in the Indiana River on Wednesday. His body was identified Thursday.
Hardy was reported missing by his family May 30, WANE reported. He was found at a water filtration plant by a city employee making rounds; his body was lodged in a dam in the river.
An autopsy did not determine Hardy’s cause of death, WANE said.
Hardy, 31, from Fort Wayne, played for the Bills in 2008 and 2009, and was signed by the Baltimore Ravens in 2011 before being released.
Hardy was chosen as a second round draft pick in 2008 after having 191 receptions and 36 touchdowns at Indiana University. He was arrested in Los Angeles in 2014 for resisting arrest but a judge ruled he was mentally incompetent to stand trial.
Hardy played basketball and football at Elmhurst High School and was runner-up for Indiana’s Mr. Basketball. He played basketball and football at Indiana University until he quit basketball to focus on football. He maintains several records for career receptions, yards and touchdowns at IU.
The Bills, IU, and Elmhurst all expressed their condolences on Hardy’s passing.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.