Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings Isn't Happy About Cowboys Signing Greg Hardy

'As a Cowboys fan, this was a shot in the gut,' he said.

Another high-profile figure is speaking out against the Dallas Cowboys' acquisition of Greg Hardy, a former Carolina Panthers defensive end accused of domestic violence.

In a video posted Thursday, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings told the Dallas Morning News that he roots for the team, "but at some point being a sports fan gets trumped by being a father and husband and wanting to do what's right for women. This is not a good thing by me."

He added later, "As a Cowboys fan, this was a shot in the gut."

Earlier in the week, Dallas sports anchor Dale Hansen, of ABC affiliate WFAA, excoriated the team for signing Hardy, saying, "Now you can beat a woman and play with a star on your helmet."

Hardy, a former All-Pro defensive end with the Carolina Panthers, was arrested in May after his then-girlfriend called 911 to say he had thrown her, dragged her by the hair and threatened to kill her. He was found guilty of domestic violence by a judge in July but appealed for a jury trial. Charges were dismissed last month when his ex-girlfriend would not testify after reportedly reaching a financial settlement with the player.

Rawlings, a vocal crusader against domestic abuse who disclosed in 2013 he knows close family members who were victims, said he will remain a Cowboys loyalist, "but that doesn't mean I have to agree with every play that's called and every person that's hired."

In a statement to The Huffington Post and other outlets, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the team had carefully vetted Hardy over the last few weeks.

"Obviously a great deal of our study was dedicated to the issue of domestic violence, and the recent events that associated Greg with that issue," he said. "We know that Greg’s status remains under review by the National Football League. Our organization understands the very serious nature of domestic violence in our society and in our league. We know that Greg has a firm understanding of those issues as well.”

Watch the entire Rawlings interview, above.

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