BREAKING: Missouri Tigers Star Ahmad Hardy Makes Shocking Announcement, Will Return for 2026 Season
**COLUMBIA, Mo.** – In a stunning announcement that has sent shockwaves of excitement through the Missouri Tigers fanbase, consensus All-American running back **Ahmad Hardy** has revealed he will return to Columbia for the 2026 season, forgoing the NFL Draft and spurning lucrative transfer portal opportunities to continue his historic career in black and gold.
The announcement, which Hardy characterized as “an easy decision” despite the surrounding chaos of modern college football, comes as a monumental victory for head coach Eli Drinkwitz and a program that has suddenly positioned itself as a legitimate national contender for next season.
“I think they know I’m a Tiger, so they ain’t hitting me up,” Hardy said earlier this week when asked about other programs pursuing him in the transfer portal. The confidence wasn’t misplaced. On Dec. 19, Missouri officially confirmed what fans had hoped: Hardy would be back, anchoring an offense that returns the nation’s most productive running back from 2025 .
Hardy’s 2025 campaign was nothing short of legendary. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound sophomore racked up **1,560 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns** on 241 carries, earning first-team All-American honors from The Sporting News, the Associated Press, the AFCA, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation . He was also a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and became just the second player in Missouri history to rush for over 300 yards in a single game, accomplishing the feat against Mississippi State .
According to ESPN Research, Hardy ranked **first nationally in yards after first contact (1,183)**, second in yards per attempt among rushers with 200-plus attempts (6.44), and fifth in missed tackles forced (91) . His emergence as the second-leading rusher in the FBS transformed Missouri’s offense and made him the focal point of everything the Tigers accomplished offensively.
The decision to return carries profound implications for Missouri’s 2026 aspirations. Hardy will be joined in the backfield by Jamal Roberts, who announced his return on Jan. 1 after rushing for 753 yards and six touchdowns in 2025 . Together, they form what many analysts believe is the nation’s most dangerous running back tandem.
“Being able to retain both of them might be the biggest win Missouri brought in through the entire offseason, likely making both of them the focal point of the offense in 2026,” wrote Sports Illustrated’s Michael Stamps .
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz had publicly lobbied for Roberts’ return, acknowledging the difficult financial and competitive realities of roster retention in the NIL era.
“You’ve got a tough situation, because you’ve got Ahmad Hardy, who’s a consensus All-American,” Drinkwitz said in December. “But I think Jamal Roberts is as good a back as there is in the country. How do you beg Jamal to take less to stay here?” .
The Tigers found a way, and the result is a backfield that returns over 2,300 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns from 2025 .
Hardy’s return also places him within striking distance of Missouri’s single-season rushing record. He enters the Gator Bowl needing just 68 yards against Virginia to break Devin West’s 1998 mark of 1,703 yards—though only 1,578 of West’s yards are officially recognized due to bowl stats not counting at the time .
With Hardy’s announcement now official, Missouri suddenly boasts one of the nation’s most formidable offensive foundations heading into 2026. The Tigers have also secured returns from left tackle Cayden Green—who chose to return over entering the NFL Draft—wide receiver Donovan Olugbode, tight end Brett Norfleet, and a host of other key contributors .
In an era defined by constant roster churn and transfer portal turbulence, Hardy’s decision to stay in Columbia represents something increasingly rare: loyalty rewarded, continuity preserved, and a star choosing to finish what he started.
For Missouri and its passionate fanbase, that’s a shocking announcement worth celebrating.
