AEW suspends Jeff Hardy without pay following arrest, can only return after treatment and staying sober

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) suspended Jeff Hardy without pay on Tuesday following the wrestling superstar’s latest DUI arrest in Florida.

AEW President and CEO Tony Khan announced Hardy’s discipline on social media.

“We were able to resume contact with Jeff Hardy this afternoon,” Khan said in the statement. “AEW does not condone Jeff’s alleged behavior. We’ve made it clear to Jeff that we’ll assist him in getting treatment for substance abuse issues, which he has indicated that he’s open to receiving. In the interim, he is suspended without pay, and he can only return to AEW upon successfully completing treatment and maintaining his sobriety.

“IF you or a loved one needs help, please reach out to SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-66-2HELP (4357).”

Matt Hardy, Jeff’s older brother, also released a statement on his arrest.

“It was disheartening to hear the news about my brother yesterday. Recovery isn’t a linear process & I’ll continue doing whatever I can to help my brother be healthy. Being healthy & well is the most important thing for Jeff, his wife, his children & our family at this time,” Matt Hardy tweeted.

Jeff Hardy, 44, was arrested for DUI, driving while his license was canceled/revoked and violating a restriction in which he was required to have a DUI interlock device in his vehicle. This was Hardy’s third DUI offense in the last 10 years and is a third-degree felony, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Florida Highway Patrol arrested Hardy in Volusia County on Interstate-4. Police said Hardy was “swerving all over the roadway, failing to maintain (his) lane, and running off the roadway…”

Police said Hardy admitted to drinking earlier in the day. Hardy agreed to two breathalyzer readings and blew an 0.294 and an 0.291. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.

Hardy, a North Carolina native, was arrested in his home state in 2018 and 2019 for driving while impaired. He also was arrested for public intoxication in July 2019 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Hardy is best known for his theatrics in the WWE ring. His high-flying style in the company’s Attitude Era and beyond made him a fan favorite and created a legacy that still carries through to the present day.

He was let go after another stint in WWE in 2021. By the beginning of 2022, Hardy was performing with his brother Matt for AEW.