Cowboys star Bryant now elder statesman for receivers
“I want to lead by example. I don’t want to run my mouth.” Dez Bryant, Cowboys wide receiver
FRISCO, Texas — Dez Bryant rattled off names of teammates who have been on the Dallas roster longer than the star receiver, correctly stopping at four.
The guy who once rejected tradition by refusing to carry veteran receiver Roy Williams’ pads when he was a rookie seven years ago is now 28 and the oldest player at his position for the Cowboys. And well aware of it.
“I want to lead by example,” Bryant said earlier in the offseason program that wrapped up Thursday. “I don’t want to run my mouth.”
He still has the occasional Twitter spat, and isn’t one to back down from verbal challenges. But he’s no longer the precocious newcomer who talked back to Williams and started his career with a couple of bizarre off-field issues, sounding more like a dean these days instead.
“I think that it’s just things that naturally happen over time,” said Bryant, two years into a $70 million, five-year contract that made him one of the highest-paid NFL receivers. “You just start putting things in perspective. I know for me is all I want to do is be better.”
Bryant moved into the top five in tenure in part because of the departure of Tony Romo, the quarterback he credits for helping him through the rocky start to a career that included lawsuits for unpaid jewelry bills and a sagging-pants episode with police at a Dallas mall. Bryant’s bond was instant with Dak Prescott when last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year replaced an injured Romo and ended up taking the 10-year starter’s job with by far the best debut for a quarterbac in franchise history.
Years later, Bryant reflected on his sparrin Williams by saying he believe in what he con meaningless rookie rit showing it too, instead a bond going into his n with the most celebrat