Greg Hardy Reportedly Feared Teammates, Felt Humiliated After Social-Media Gaffe

Defensive end Greg Hardy has been a lightning rod for controversy since joining the Dallas Cowboys, but the former Pro Bowler may now be starting to realize the impact of his actions.

According to NFL.com's Albert Breer, Hardy was humiliated and afraid to face his teammates after changing his Twitter profile last week and proclaiming his innocence with regard to the situation involving ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder.

Twitter user Adam Mumma provided a look at the change, which Hardy subsequently altered:

"

@JimmyKempski @LesBowen @RoobCSN Um.....what? pic.twitter.com/8Taq2WGZ25

— Adam Mumma (@AdamMumma89) November 11, 2015"

Hardy was charged with assault and communicating threats to Holder after the incident, and he was found guilty in July. The charges were then dismissed on appeal when Holder didn't make herself available for testimony. Since then, Deadspin released photos showing a badly bruised Holder on the night of the alleged incident.

In an effort to avoid his teammates after the social-media snafu, Hardy didn't show up for the Thursday morning meeting prior to Dallas' game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per Breer.

Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports was the first to report Hardy's tardiness, and it was later reported by David Moore of the Dallas Morning News that Hardy was fined.

According to Breer, Hardy had a talk with veteran defensive lineman Jeremy Mincey upon arriving that day, and Mincey offered him some advice:

"In the end, no one knows the truth (about the domestic incident of 2014) except the people who were there," Mincey said. "We can all speculate and say it was this or it was that. I just know he's working hard on being a better person. We had a heart-to-heart—I know he feels like the world's against him." 

In addition to that, Mincey offered unwavering support and a belief that the embattled superstar will be able to turn things around on a personal level:

"

He has great intentions. We're trying to give him a good support system. I believe in him as a man: He's strong-willed and strong-minded. And the things he wants to get accomplished, he can get accomplished. He just needs to start looking at things from a positive perspective, and all these things will start falling away, and eventually he'll be forgiven by people.

"

Things are seemingly always magnified when it comes to the Cowboys, and owner Jerry Jones certainly knew what he was getting himself into by taking a chance on the former Carolina Panther.

The 27-year-old pass-rusher has performed on the field to the tune of four sacks and an interception in five games, but he has also been the subject of a lot of bad press.

Jones has shown unwavering support for Hardy thus far, but now it is time for Hardy to hold up his end of the bargain.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.