Dallas Cowboys: Dez Bryant Approaching Game, Life With Newly Found Dedication

By Kris Knox
Senior Writer

Ever since the team made him the 27th overall pick in the 2010 draft, the Dallas Cowboys have been waiting  for wide receiver Dez Bryant to show some maturity.

During his two seasons as a Cowboy, Bryant’s flashes of superstar potential have often been overshadowed by well-documented off-field and financial issues.

After Bryant’s most recent incident–a July arrest for the alleged assault of his mother–the Cowboys finally decided to stop waiting and take action.

Last month, the team imposed a set of behavioral rules for Bryant, under which the wideout must attend weekly counseling sessions, maintain a full-time security team and will be prohibited from using alcohol or visiting strip clubs.

But would the Cowboys really have parted ways with Bryant had he not agreed to the new guidelines?

“That’s a fair question, but I don’t know the answer,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told USA TODAY Sports. “But let me say this: To be on the Dallas Cowboys, he needed to show that he was serious about altering his lifestyle.”

While Bryant’s future in Dallas may or may actually be on the line, it appears that the behavioral rules are having the desired effect.

Bryant has managed to steer clear of any known trouble since the July incident, and perhaps more importantly–for his football career anyway–he appears more focused and motivated to perform on the field than ever before.

“If I’m going to be put out there with Tony Romo, (Jason) Witten and Miles Austin, I got to know what the hell I’m doing,” Bryant said. “I felt like I dedicated myself to do that. Not only that, I had help from Tony, I had help from Miles, Witt, the rest of the guys. I felt like it helped me out a lot and I learned a lot, and I’m going to keep it moving.”

Follow Kris on Twitter: @Kris_Knox

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