Former bad boy Charles Haley endorses Cowboys' Greg Hardy signing

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Former Cowboys bad boy Charles Haley knows a thing or two about baggage, and he's willing to lend Greg Hardy a hand.

The Cowboys have spent the better part of the last week and a half attempting to justify the addition of Hardy, whose signing has been met with criticism because of off-field issues. But Haley, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer, endorses the move. He vowed to support Hardy in a recent interview with the Dallas Morning News.

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"Bags?" Haley quipped. "I had suitcases. Full suitcases."

Hardy's troubles are familiar ground for Haley, who dealt with anger management issues in his 13-year NFL career. Haley's hot-headed demeanor often got him into trouble during encounters with coaches and teammates, leading to his trade from the 49ers to the Cowboys in 1991. 

"When I played with the 49ers, Bill Walsh sent me to counselors," Haley said. "I had to go every Tuesday my rookie year. I'm not a guy who makes friends easily but that helped me a lot. It helped ease my rage. It helped me to understand that a dumb football player is not going to last in the NFL. It made me become smarter."

It's easy to draw parallels to Hardy's situation. The Panthers allowed Hardy to walk for nothing via free agency this offseason — one year removed from a 15-sack season — because of domestic violence charges that kept him out for all but one game last year. 

The Cowboys similarly acquired Haley for less than market value — second- and third-round draft picks, a mitigated price for a player with double-digit sacks in his three seasons leading up to the deal.

Haley's addition was seen as a final puzzle piece to the Cowboys' dynasty of the early 1990s. They won three three Super Bowls in Haley's first four seasons there, and he finished his career with 100 1/2 sacks.

Haley and Cowboys are hoping Hardy will help the team get over its Super Bowl hump.

"He's going to be fine," Haley said. "I can't wait to meet him and I can't wait to see him play. I hope and pray the Cowboys make the next step in this journey for a Super Bowl. Sometimes bad boys have to come in here and kick some tail."

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Brandon Schlager is an assistant managing editor at The Sporting News.