Ravens Dez Bryant excited to face the Dallas Cowboys, no longer harbors bitterness
Dez Bryant has finally let bygones be bygones.
He no longer harbors any hard feelings toward the Dallas Cowboys organization for his release from the team following the 2017 season.
“For the most part, it’s water under the bridge,” Bryant said. “That’s two years that I had time to get myself together. You have to move forward with life, because life [isn’t] going to wait on you. Time waits on no one. So, I had to get myself together [and] move forward.”
It took Bryant two and a half years to get himself together, get back in the league and officially move forward due to some physical and mental stumbling blocks.
He signed with New Orleans Saints in 2018 but suffered a season-ending injury in practice on Nov. 9 and never played in a game.
Nearly two years later, on Oct. 27, the Ravens (6-5) signed him to a practice squad contract. Then, on Nov. 28, he was signed the active roster for the remainder of the season, just in time for Tuesday’s reunion against the 3-8 Cowboys.
“It’s cool. It’s kind of cool,” said Bryant, who is still the Cowboys’ all-time leader in touchdown catches with 73. “I’m excited. I’m looking forward to it. A lot of those guys on the team I know. I’m real good friends with. [They’re] hell of a [good] football players. Whenever we line up across from one another, I think it’s going to be fun. Like I said, it’s going to be an exciting moment.”
Again, Bryant’s attitude now is in direct contrast to the bitter feelings he held on April 13, 2018, when he was officially released by the Cowboys after eight seasons.
Bryant blamed former coach Jason Garrett and some former team captains for his sudden departure, which came just three seasons after he signed a five-year, $70 million contract before the 2015 season.
He produced 41 total touchdowns from 2012-14 while averaging 1,312 receiving yards per season.
From 2015-2017, Bryant averaged just 678 yards per season. He missed 10 games due to injury during this stretch and totaled just 17 touchdowns.
The Cowboys made the decision to move on from Bryant because of his decline in production no longer matched his high contract.
Bryant, 32, has said nothing about being motivated to prove something against the Cowboys on Tuesday. His role is still evolving with Ravens, as has four catches for 28 yards in two games for the Ravens.
He said he is just happy to be playing again. His former employers expect to see some extra fire.
“He’s a competitor through and through,” said team vice president Stephen Jones. “We all know when you go back and talk to anybody that’s gone back and played a team they played on before, they come extra juiced up. No one thinks more of Dez than Jerry [Jones], myself, the organization. He just had an amazing career here as a Dallas Cowboy.
“Think the world of him and certainly know that he’ll come with his best preparation, his best competitive spirit and know that we got to play well.”
No one on the Cowboys was closer to Bryant the elder Jones, who bonded with 2010 first-round pick on and off the field, while guiding him from some personal travails.
Jerry Jones still thinks highly of Bryant and said it hurts not to have him on the roster.
“Dez has an eternal light of good, and I mean that,” Jerry Jones said. “I couldn’t be happier to see him on the field. Now, I’m going to be a little worried because I do know how that rascal can get up there and get a ball.”
Bryant said he was able to click with the Cowboys owner because they are both very passionate, and neither are shy about displaying those feeling for life or their admiration for each other.
“The one thing I’ll always have for Mr. Jones is respect,” Bryant said. “I’m thankful that he drafted me and gave me the opportunity to play for his franchise. I’m very thankful for that. I’m a Texas boy, so I grew up a Cowboys fan. I’m thankful for that, but I’m here now. I’m excited to be a Baltimore Raven. I’m looking forward to going up against those guys on Tuesday.”
