Defensive end Greg Hardy said he is putting his football career on hold to pursue a career in mixed martial arts fighting, according to MMAFighting.com.
Representatives of the former Dallas Cowboy and Carolina Panther told the website he has been training for several months in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
"I'm very focused and excited to start my MMA career," Hardy said in a statement to MMAFighting.com. "I'm going to do this the right way."
Hardy's team told the website he weighs about 285 pounds will likely debut as a heavyweight in 2017.
The 28-year-old Hardy missed most of the 2014 season due to a domestic violence incident with an ex-girlfriend. After signing with the Cowboys, he also misssed the first four games of the 2015 season due to the case.
Richardson police arrested Hardy for cocaine possession in September.
