What happened: Head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced that Hardy is rejoining team drills after spending the opening months of the 2026 season recovering from a gunshot wound. Hardy was injured in a May 11 shooting at a Mississippi concert, and authorities arrested a suspect four days later.

Why it matters: Stepping back onto the practice field marks the first on-field milestone in Hardy's recovery since the offseason incident left his football future uncertain. Reintegrating him into midseason workouts allows the Missouri staff to evaluate his conditioning during the second half of the regular season.

What to watch: Missouri has not set a timeline for Hardy to return to game action.