In response to multiple accounts of character issues and tardiness problems, receiver Dez Bryant took to the airwaves on Thursday to defend himself.
“All of it is just rumors,” Bryant told Orlando Alzugaray of WQAM radio in Miami, via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “I don’t know why people are saying those things. I feel like if you’re going to write something about somebody you need to ask that person instead of writing things like that. I surround myself with positive people. I don’t have time to get into trouble. I’m trying to pursue my dream, which is to play in the NFL. . . . I never did anything wrong. I never committed a crime.
“It bothers me a lot,” Bryant said of the criticism. “I just had a talk with my advisor and my agent [Wednesday], and I told them that I’m not a bad person and I’m not used to people saying bad things about me. I like to make people smile. I like to bring excitement because that’s what I do, and I want to keep it that way. I don’t want a bad image. My bad image in my childhood, that is long gone. I’ve surrounded myself with bright people and I’m going to continue to stay out of trouble and move forward and play in the NFL.”
Bryant also claims that he had no issue with showing up on time while in college.
“I’ve never been late to a game or a practice,” Bryant said. “My freshman year, I’ve been late for a meeting. But as my career got going at Oklahoma State I [became more responsible]. I overcame a lot. Everything is positive now.”
Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reported several weeks ago that Bryant was “consistently late” for team activities, including games.
Of course, it’s hard to believe Bryant on this one, because he proved last year when lying to NCAA investigators that he’ll say whatever he has to say in order to advance his own interests. Thus, the fact that he was lying then will make it hard to believe that he’s telling the truth now.