MacMahon: Dez Bryant sees self as leader

[Cotton]

Dez Bryant sees self as leader

Updated: July 24, 2013, 12:00 AM ET
By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. -- Receiver Dez Bryant, fresh off a breakout season and drama-free offseason, sees himself as a blossoming leader for the Dallas Cowboys.

That would have sounded crazy a year ago, when the Cowboys kept Bryant off-limits to the media during training camp after the turmoil in his personal life reached a boiling point with a July arrest on a misdemeanor charge stemming from an altercation with his mother.

Now, owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jason Garrett gush about how much Bryant has matured, helping him tap into his immense potential and emerge as one of the NFL's elite playmakers. Bryant had 879 yards and 10 touchdowns in the second half of 2012, finishing with career highs of 1,382 yards and 12 scores to cement his status as a focal point of the Cowboys' offense.

"I think there's no backwards for me," Bryant said during an engaging 13-minute session with the media after dominating Tuesday's practice. "I feel like I got that role here to lead by example doing all the right things and me being in that role to make sure these guys are doing the right thing. Not only on the field, but off the field.

"I take that to heart. I'm doing everything that I'm supposed to and it don't feel like, 'Hey, I'm structured, I gotta do this.' I'm doing it out of my own heart. This is the type of guy I am. I'm not a bad guy. I feel like I owe it to these guys coming in."

Bryant, whose tough upbringing in Lufkin, Texas, has been well chronicled, acknowledges that his career took off when he found peace in his personal life. But his success simply whetted his appetite and intensified his work ethic.

Garrett called it gratifying to see Bryant enjoy success after changing after buying into what the coaches preach and improving his habits in his personal life and professional career.

"We're real proud of Dez, the approach that he has taken, his consistency in meetings, walkthroughs, on the practice field," Garrett said. "It has a lot to do with maturity he's made as a person. It reflects in his play.

"When you're doing those things and doing things the right way, there is no way you can't gain confidence. When a guy like that has confidence to add to his ability, he really becomes a heck of a player.

Jones, who traded up to select Bryant with the 24th overall pick after off-field issues caused the receiver to slide in the 2010 draft, said he was "impressed" with how Bryant has handled himself over the last year.

"It means a lot," Bryant said. "I give a lot of credit to them. They stuck their neck out for me and they stayed with me. The time when I didn't understand certain things, they did their best to help me understand things. And those things that I do understand now, that makes me that much more of a better person.

"Like I said, that all takes a role on me helping those younger guys on what I've learned from them. From the older guys, to [Tony] Romo, to Miles [Austin], to [DeMarcus] Ware, to [Jason] Hatcher, it's all those guys. I'll take what they give me and pass it on to somebody else. I feel like I'm so comfortable in my life. That's what it's about."

At this point, the 24-year-old Bryant is determined to find out just how good he can be. He has said that he believes he's capable of becoming the first 2,000-yard receiver in NFL history, but that's not his goal. He wants to establish himself as the best receiver in the NFL, but he channels Garrett when he said the focus is simply on working hard and "putting days together."

A comfortable, confident Bryant considers it his responsibility to be a leader for a Dallas team trying to get back into the playoffs after a three-year drought.

"I feel good. I feel great," Bryant said. "I thank Tony [Romo]. I thank all the coaches for counting on my and putting that trust in me to know everything the way I do. I feel like it's my job to pay them back by going out and working hard."

______________________________

I heart this guy.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Dez Bryant sees self as leader

Updated: July 24, 2013, 12:00 AM ET
By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. -- Receiver Dez Bryant, fresh off a breakout season and drama-free offseason, sees himself as a blossoming leader for the Dallas Cowboys.

That would have sounded crazy a year ago, when the Cowboys kept Bryant off-limits to the media during training camp after the turmoil in his personal life reached a boiling point with a July arrest on a misdemeanor charge stemming from an altercation with his mother.

Now, owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jason Garrett gush about how much Bryant has matured, helping him tap into his immense potential and emerge as one of the NFL's elite playmakers. Bryant had 879 yards and 10 touchdowns in the second half of 2012, finishing with career highs of 1,382 yards and 12 scores to cement his status as a focal point of the Cowboys' offense.

"I think there's no backwards for me," Bryant said during an engaging 13-minute session with the media after dominating Tuesday's practice. "I feel like I got that role here to lead by example doing all the right things and me being in that role to make sure these guys are doing the right thing. Not only on the field, but off the field.

"I take that to heart. I'm doing everything that I'm supposed to and it don't feel like, 'Hey, I'm structured, I gotta do this.' I'm doing it out of my own heart. This is the type of guy I am. I'm not a bad guy. I feel like I owe it to these guys coming in."

Bryant, whose tough upbringing in Lufkin, Texas, has been well chronicled, acknowledges that his career took off when he found peace in his personal life. But his success simply whetted his appetite and intensified his work ethic.

Garrett called it gratifying to see Bryant enjoy success after changing after buying into what the coaches preach and improving his habits in his personal life and professional career.

"We're real proud of Dez, the approach that he has taken, his consistency in meetings, walkthroughs, on the practice field," Garrett said. "It has a lot to do with maturity he's made as a person. It reflects in his play.

"When you're doing those things and doing things the right way, there is no way you can't gain confidence. When a guy like that has confidence to add to his ability, he really becomes a heck of a player.

Jones, who traded up to select Bryant with the 24th overall pick after off-field issues caused the receiver to slide in the 2010 draft, said he was "impressed" with how Bryant has handled himself over the last year.

"It means a lot," Bryant said. "I give a lot of credit to them. They stuck their neck out for me and they stayed with me. The time when I didn't understand certain things, they did their best to help me understand things. And those things that I do understand now, that makes me that much more of a better person.

"Like I said, that all takes a role on me helping those younger guys on what I've learned from them. From the older guys, to [Tony] Romo, to Miles [Austin], to [DeMarcus] Ware, to [Jason] Hatcher, it's all those guys. I'll take what they give me and pass it on to somebody else. I feel like I'm so comfortable in my life. That's what it's about."

At this point, the 24-year-old Bryant is determined to find out just how good he can be. He has said that he believes he's capable of becoming the first 2,000-yard receiver in NFL history, but that's not his goal. He wants to establish himself as the best receiver in the NFL, but he channels Garrett when he said the focus is simply on working hard and "putting days together."

A comfortable, confident Bryant considers it his responsibility to be a leader for a Dallas team trying to get back into the playoffs after a three-year drought.

"I feel good. I feel great," Bryant said. "I thank Tony [Romo]. I thank all the coaches for counting on my and putting that trust in me to know everything the way I do. I feel like it's my job to pay them back by going out and working hard."

______________________________

I heart this guy.

It wasn't so long ago when a lot of folks were ready to tie an anvil to his legs and pitch him in the swamp

 

[boozeman]

It wasn't so long ago when a lot of folks were ready to tie an anvil to his legs and pitch him in the swamp

I admit it, I was one of them.

I don't know how he grew a brain, but I have to give him credit. The transformation is pretty amazing.

 

[Deuce]

I wonder if skid still hates his guts.

 

[skidadl]

No way, dude. Bryant is on the verge of going into Irvin territory as far as low intelligence/huge heart.

I'll gladly be wrong on deals like this any day of the week.

 

[boozeman]

Desiree ‏@LaBellaLex_ 1h I wish dez Bryant could give me child.
------------

 

[ravidubey]

Hard to see teams stopping Witten, Austin, Harris, and Bryant consistently. Dallas could average 30 a game if the OL actually blocked someone.

 

[Simpleton]

Hard to see teams stopping Witten, Austin, Harris, and Bryant consistently. Dallas could average 30 a game if the OL actually blocked someone.

That's the shame of it, if we would just invest heavily into the OL our offense could be the best in the league.

 

[ravidubey]

That's the shame of it, if we would just invest heavily into the OL our offense could be the best in the league.

And they already have two 1st round picks at LT and C. They just need simple competence at the other spots.

Instead Livings and Bernadeau are walking MASH tents who take turns whiffing blocks at key moments. Free is living off a reputation earned in one game where he ran downfield to help on a block. In reality he's just plain awful. His return made me vomit in my mouth.

There's a moment in the movie Aliens where the good guys are trapped and they congratulate themselves on their plan to protect themselves by repairing barricades that had failed before. I laughed out loud. WTF? How about you come up with a new strategy instead?

Livings, Bernadeau, and Free are the barricade that failed. Miserably. As in ALL THE COLONISTS ARE DEAD or COCOONED AND INCUBATING ALIENS because of them.

Only Jerry Jones could sabotage a team this badly without actively trying.

 

[Texas Ace]

No way, dude. Bryant is on the verge of going into Irvin territory as far as low intelligence/huge heart.

I'll gladly be wrong on deals like this any day of the week.

That's exactly how I see him too - turning into another Irvin.

If that's the case, he's going be one of my all time favorites because Irvin to me was the ultimate Cowboy. By far and away my favorite player of all time.

 

[Lotuseater]

And they already have two 1st round picks at LT and C. They just need simple competence at the other spots.

Instead Livings and Bernadeau are walking MASH tents who take turns whiffing blocks at key moments. Free is living off a reputation earned in one game where he ran downfield to help on a block. In reality he's just plain awful. His return made me vomit in my mouth.

There's a moment in the movie Aliens where the good guys are trapped and they congratulate themselves on their plan to protect themselves by repairing barricades that had failed before. I laughed out loud. WTF? How about you come up with a new strategy instead?

Livings, Bernadeau, and Free are the barricade that failed. Miserably. As in ALL THE COLONISTS ARE DEAD or COCOONED AND INCUBATING ALIENS because of them.

Only Jerry Jones could sabotage a team this badly without actively trying.

Calm down, L. Ron......

The team is going to be good. Very, very good.


I follow this team as closely as any of you. This is not the year to be all bitter and waiting for the other shoe to drop. Do you realize that megatron and Stafford do what they do with dick around them. Ditto Aaron Rodgers and his horrific line.

We have a reciever that may just start breaking records here shortly, and a great QB with a very deadly supporting cast.

If there was ever a year to be positive and get excited, its this one.

 

[Cotton]

Calm down, L. Ron......

The team is going to be good. Very, very good.


I follow this team as closely as any of you. This is not the year to be all bitter and waiting for the other shoe to drop. Do you realize that megatron and Stafford do what they do with dick around them. Ditto Aaron Rodgers and his horrific line. We have a reciever that may just start breaking records here shortly, and a

Did you fall asleep?

 

[Carp]

Using a QB/WR combo that went 4-12 last year does not make for a strong argument.

 

[Lotuseater]

Did you fall asleep?

Not hardly. Monitoring the imminent beginning of world war 3, actually.

 

[Lotuseater]

Using a QB/WR combo that went 4-12 last year does not make for a strong argument.

Put that level of production on a good team, and what do you have?

Think, man.

 

[Carp]

Put that level of production on a good team, and what do you have?

Think, man.

8-8?

 

[ravidubey]

In season opener in NY Romo and Murray had outstanding games in spite of their OL.

But over the course of the season Romo was fortunate to escape serious injury, though he still cracked a rib in the last game. DeMarco Murray did get hurt.

I've got to think back to 1989 to recall a worse season from the Cowboy OL. And they allowed most of the really bad players to return. Hard to see the offense being much different than last year's. In fact 2012 might be the ceiling, offensively.

Dallas needs to shoot for 5000 yards passing and 2000 yards rushing. The OL and the 1265 measly rushing yards and 3.6 YPC it blocked for make that impossible. To put that in perspective, even the pathetic 1989 Dallas offense rushed for over 1400 yards and averaged 4 YPC. Dallas passed well because of Romo, Witten, and Bryant with Romo running for his life far too often.

 

[boozeman]

Dez Bryant is out to repay Cowboys for standing by him

Posted Tuesday, Jul. 23, 2013

By Clarence E. Hill Jr.

chill@star-telegram.com

OXNARD, Calif — . Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant has no interest in talking about his past anymore.

And while it might be a little unrealistic, it’s a fair position for him to take.

“This whole off-season, I think I killed that already,” Bryant said. “That’s a nonfactor. I’m not trying to sound rude, but that question was a little bit irrelevant. I think there’s no backwards for me.”

Bryant has worked hard to clean up his image since resolving the misdemeanor family violence charge of a year ago. He has taken ownership and definitely matured.

In light of the murder investigation involving former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, it’s clear that it wasn’t Bryant who was the major bad-boy security risk of the 2010 draft.

Bryant’s biggest crimes at the time were a dysfunctional upbringing, being tardy to team meetings in college and ruled ineligible as a junior at Oklahoma State for lying to the NCAA investigators about a dinner with former Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders.

Four years later, it all seems so innocuous and pedestrian.

After a breakout 2012 season in which caught 92 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns and an off-season in which he has established himself as one of the Cowboys best players, no one is looking back when it comes to Bryant.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett once dreaded talking about Bryant’s off-the-field issues. Now that Bryant has his life and priorities in order, Garrett said Bryant’s potential is limitless.

“He’s only scratched the surface,” said Garrett, who called Bryant “a joy to coach” and a player he has “immense respect” for in two separate interviews this week. “When I say that, it doesn’t mean he’s going to catch X number of more balls. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m just talking about playing better, playing at a higher level. His practice and his work ethic throughout the off-season was outstanding. He looks great. We’re excited to see him.”

No one is more excited about the coming season than Bryant. His work ethic was never in question. With his confidence and knowledge of the game at an all-time high, Bryant believes he is not only ready to take is place among the great receivers in the game but also become the best.

If that means surpassing Detroit’s Calvin Johnson, Houston’s Andre Johnson or Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald, so be it.

“If you’re a wideout, that is supposed to be your mindset,” Bryant said. “You don’t want to be second. You don’t want to be third. You want to be the best. That is what I’m trying to do.”

Bryant certainly appears to be on that pace. His numbers in his first three years in the league — 200 catches for 2,871 yards and 27 touchdowns — compare favorably to both Johnson and Fitzgerald.

None had more combined touchdowns and only Fitzgerald put up better numbers in terms of catches and yards during his first three seasons than Bryant did last year. Fitzgerald had 102 catches, 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns his second year in 2006.

Bryant’s goals are a whopping 20 touchdowns and 2,000 yards receiving in 2013.

Cornerback Morris Claiborne has the pleasure of getting burned by Bryant every day in practice. He called him unstoppable and said anything is possible.

“Oh yeah, Dez is going to have that mentality that no one can stop him,” Claiborne said. “He’s just got that mentality that he’s a killer.”

Bryant, who recognizes the mistakes of his past even though he loathes to talk about them, strikes a balance between being humble and confident.

He readily admits part of his motivation going forward is to repay the people who stood by him in the past, including Garrett, quarterback Tony Romo and owner Jerry Jones.

“It means a lot. I give a lot of credit to them,” Bryant said. “They stuck their neck out for me and they stayed with me. The time when I didn’t understand certain things, they did their best to help me understand things. I feel like it’s my job to pay them back by going out and working hard.”

 

[Cotton]

“That’s a nonfactor. I’m not trying to sound rude, but that question was a little bit irrelevant. I think there’s no backwards for me.”

 

[Cotton]

Like it or not -- and he loves it -- Dez Bryant will be leader

July, 24, 2013

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com


OXNARD, Calif. – Dez Bryant didn’t have the luxury of deciding whether he wanted to be one of the Cowboys’ leaders.

That was going to happen, one way or another. Simply put, young players are going to follow superstars. But Bryant gets to decide the kind of example and tone he’ll set.

Laugh if you want at the thought of Bryant as a leader. Go ahead and crack jokes about the immaturity that caused him to drop in the draft and detoured his path to greatness. Just know that the fact that Bryant embraces the role is a phenomenal development for the Cowboys.

Like it or not, Bryant was going to be a leader. He’s determined to make sure he leads in the right direction.

“I know a lot of the new guys look up to me,” Bryant said. “I try to let them know what I know and, at the same time, still learn. So I try to come out and be the best I can each and every day and go to work.”

To be clear, Bryant wants to be a leader for the Cowboys, not the leader. He has the utmost respect for Tony Romo, in particular, and the rest of the team’s established veterans and wants to help them lead the Cowboys back into the playoffs.

In other words, unlike the last superstar receiver to play for the Cowboys, Bryant will never cause factions to form in the Valley Ranch locker room. He wants to win championships, not popularity contests.

Bryant believes he can help young teammates avoid the mistakes he made during his first few seasons in the league. In fact, he considers that to be one of his responsibilities.

There’s certainly no guarantee that a matured Bryant never takes another off-field misstep, but one doesn’t necessarily need to be a flawless human being for be an outstanding leader for a football team. The previous elite playmaker who wore No. 88 for the Cowboys is Exhibit A for that.

One thing that Bryant has in common with Michael Irvin other than a number is a burning passion for the game. There are precious few players in the league who practice or play harder than Bryant, who dives for balls during a July practice in Oxnard like he’s playing in a January playoff game.

That’s the part of Bryant that head coach Jason Garrett wants to rub off on the rest of the Cowboys.

“Dez is a very influential guy,” Garrett said. “I think when young players come in and see how he practices, see his passion for the game, boy, that influences them. This is how you play at this level. And to be honest with you, guys who are his contemporaries, guy who are older than him, more veteran players see him and say, ‘Wow, this is how you’re supposed to do it.’

“Dez is leading by how he’s practicing. He loves the game and practices really hard and plays really hard. I think that’s infectious. It’s a great example for his teammates.”

That part comes easy for Bryant. The football field has long been his comfort zone, dating back to the days when life was hard in Lufkin, Texas.

"You’ve got to love this game to be great," Bryant said. "Truth be told, I love this game so much. Even if we weren’t getting paid, I’d still be probably be out and be a football player. That’s what I love to do."

But Bryant doesn’t want to be a positive role model only when he’s wearing a helmet and shoulder pads. He wants his year-round work ethic to be an example for teammates to follow, much like Jason Witten has been for Bryant and others.

That’s why Bryant reached out to Terrance Williams minutes after the Cowboys selected the Baylor receiver in the third round of the draft.

“He sent me a tweet and told me, ‘Welcome to the team and we’ve gotta work,’” Williams said. “I continued to work with him all offseason and before we came here. Just getting caught up to speed, taking tips from him. I’m learning from him and Miles [Austin]. They’re great teachers.”

Again, Bryant’s choice is to be a positive influence. He was going to be an influence one way or the other.

If Bryant accepted mediocrity, that’d rub off on guys like Williams and fifth-round pick Joseph Randle, a fellow Oklahoma State alum.

Bryant had to learn how to be a professional the last few years. He’s had the importance of punctuality and paying attention to detail hammered into his head, and now he’s eager to pass it on.

Give Garrett credit here. He persistently delivered his message to Bryant until it got through. It's become part of Bryant, so much so that he naturally mixes Garrett-isms into conversation, believing every word he says when talking about "stacking days together" and such.

"That’s real, man," Bryant said. "That’s real."

Now, Bryant intends to be one of Garrett's messengers.

His priorities are straight. His passion is contagious. And his performance guarantees that others will pay attention to him. Those are a few pretty good qualities to look for in a leader.