Dez Bryant told Tony Romo, “We’re the best in the NFL”

Posted by Michael David Smith on October 28, 2013, 10:53 PM EDT
AP

The NFL has released video of a portion of Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant’s animated sideline discussion during Sunday’s loss at Detroit, and the video shows Bryant trying to fire up Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

As Bryant, Romo and Cowboys receivers coach Derek Dooley discussed how to attack the Lions’ defense, Bryant expressed confidence to Romo.

“We’re the best in the NFL on that,” Bryant told Romo. “We’re the best in the NFL.”

The video released by the NFL doesn’t show everything Bryant said on the sideline and doesn’t include what appeared to be a heated exchange with Cowboys tight end Jason Witten near the end of the game. But based on the available evidence, Bryant appeared to be trying to pump Romo up.

Permalink 85 Comments Feed for comments Back to top

85 responses to “Dez Bryant told Tony Romo, “We’re the best in the NFL””

  1. i am going to have to be skeptical .. no one goes rah-rah and is greeted like the way witten greeted him .. like the way ware greeted him .. no .. this is just propaganda damage control

  2. “We’re the best in the NFL on that,” Bryant told Romo. “We’re the best in the NFL.”

    Maybe he meant NFC east. Nobody will call them the best in the NFL. Not right now, that’s for sure.

  3. Bryant wanted to win, he’s a good wr and he knows it. People make fun of him for his attitude but Brady freaks out on the sideline all the time and he isn’t bashed that much for it. I’d love for him to be on my team

  6. But the juicy stuff is what he was saying when he first got upset. And that was from the 2 botched Romo plays that happened on that drive I pointed out immediately after it happened when Billick was completely clueless to what was obviously happening right in front of him. He was without any doubt giving him the business about missing those 2 plays. This conversation is from a different point in time.

  13. Dez needs to be part of a trade with MN for Peterson. Being totally delusional is a hallmark of life in the land of 10k trailer park cesspools.

    They wouldn’t need to buy him a plane ride. He can just walk across the field this Sunday.

  14. “when you see it on film”….

    This is the critical phrase of what Dez is trying to convey to sell his point the most. Just break down the film for those 2 plays and you can see the connection with why he was angry. There was no logical reason for Romo to make the choices he did there and that was on Romo AND the coaching staff AND Jerry Jones for being the idiot that assembled this team, and Dez doesn’t like playing with unprofessional football players that don’t get it. There’s nothing wrong with that. Just teach the players how to play better or get rid of them. Look at the film and you will learn something new about football that Dez is trying to explain here.

  15. Maybe if Bryant were actually angry about the developments of the game he’d have been directing his tirades at the defensive personnel. It was all “me me me” on his part. It wasn’t the offense that faltered. He ran his mouth about Megatron and got taken to the woodshed. That’s all that was about.

  16. Leaders call people out on what “we” could do better. Divas call people out when they feel they don’t get the ball enough even though they’re not as open as someone else.

  20. Witten gets the targets, is an 8 time pro bowler, yet the ‘Boys have won nothing. Dez gets 6 targets in that game, 6. Inexcusable!!!

    Throw the man the ball.

  23. Bryant is the anti-Johnson. He is loud, arrogant and self-absorbed. Johnson never says a word, never brags, never shows up his quarterback/coach. Bryant calls his antics “passion.” And absurdly, they have been defended by pundits like D. Sanders and M. Irving. Really? Bryant is more passionate than Whitton?…Ware?… You could call it passion if Bryant had something else that Johnson has in abundance. It’s called class.

  26. I’d hope to have players on my team pissed after another blown lead.., he could sit there careless and just collecting another big game check, instead he is pissed because he CARES!

  28. The NFL is apparently spinning , along with many other ex-player talking heads (Carter, Irvin among the many) this blatant sideline display.
    I just don’t get it.
    “Passion, passion”?
    C’mon man!

  29. pdominic33:

    Fine you can keep your class in Dallas and then trade Dez to me so I can have football greatness instead. Oh and Dez won’t have anything to complain about on my team so he will for all intents and purposes have class on my team because my team doesn’t mess around with pathetic football plans and preparation and an inadequate supply of quality football players that aren’t overpaid.

  30. Intense black man yelling; hmm, he must have a gun shoot first and look for the gun later. That is how these commentators came attacking Dez without a clue what was being discussed. He said he was showing “passion” for the game but because he’s not Brady or Romo he stereo typed as a selfish prima donna

  32. pdominic33:

    What in the world are you talking about? When have you seen Dez be arrogant and self-absorbed. His teammates and coaches say just the opposite. Where is this amazing insight coming from? And who is this M. Irving? Maybe Irvin? Yeah the guy who people said was arrogant and self-absorbed who described himself as passionate? Yeah, what did he ever do? I’d take a classy receiver on a perennial loser over a guy like that any day….

  33. If he was so busy “pumping up” Romo, why was it on the last play of the game, he did his best impression of Randy Moss knowing the play wasn’t meant for him?
    We all remember how Randy would half @ss run when he knew a route wasn’t directed for him, Dez did the same thing last night. Right after the snap he took two steps, made a halfhearted swim move and gave no indication that the ball would ever go towards his side of the field.

    Go back and watch it.

    Last play of the game; he’s on the bottom of your screen.

  34. I commented on the initial article about this incident that it looked like he was being positive at least some of the time. That’s coming from a Lions fan.

    Not saying I like anything about it, but I’m not sure he got a fair rep in this case.

    Love the Romo and company reaction though. It reminds me of that friend that gets really drunk and likes to fight. Even when he’s giving people hugs and is in “a good place” you still kind of avoid eye contact and setting him off. It looks uncomfortable at best.

  39. For those that haven’t had a chance to review the tape; the reason why Whitten was giving Dez the business last night was because when the offense was told to get ready for their shot, Dez was on the far end of the bench complaining.
    Romo called for Dez TWICE to get his helmet and come on, Whitten goes to get him and he CLEARLY said something I cannot repeat here to Whitten and literally pissed Jason off!

    If you get a chance to see it, you’ll see the words come out and immediately Whitten reacts, and Ware grabs Dez to get him back on the same page.

    Prime can say what he wants, but this is NOT passion; this is blanket party waiting to happen!

  40. If anyone has the right to get emotional to get hyped up to get angry it’s Dez Bryant unlike the millions of football fans who act the same way he act in stadiums , bars and homes he gets paid to be on that team, all we do as fans is pay these teams buy buying their merch and going to games ,everyone need to sit back and chill and let a young man take his job to what ever level he needs to take it to cause I bet if we can be like that at our jobs we wouldn’t for fear of losing your job

  41. Dez may have all the best intentions…and maybe those outbursts help fire himself up…but he was in the faces of his coaches and teammates while they are looking at printouts of the prior drive. Having a teammate interrupt something like that probably does not help the team.

  42. You can suit up a street free agent and happen to toss 3 passes his way during a game … but when you have a stud like Dez Bryant – he should be getting a MINIMUM of 3 targets per QUARTER.

    If you’re not going to use him – then trade him.

    Romo needs to get the ball to his play makers … the Cowboys are an amazing walking, talking train wreck.

  43. Ware has no right getting in anyones face. he diaappears in big games and can’t play if he has a cold sore.

    Wish more Cowboys were like Dez and Sean Lee.

    I do think Romo has passion, I doubt he would still be playing without it as much crap as he takes.

    On the pregame show one of the panel said ” can Romo bounce back from the crushing int against Denver?” I mean Geez, he has won two games since then, let it go losrs.

  44. It’s only passion when Tom Brady yells at players and coaches and throws his helmet. It’s only passion when Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler bitch at their linemen. Hell, even when Jason Witten does something like this, it’s “passion”. God forbid Dez Bryant gets into a game. That just means he’s gonna slap someone in the face for not getting the ball because he is just a mama-slapping, diva receiver. Brian Billick and the rest of the media just suck, and so do all of you who think that every other player in the league doesn’t do this kind of stuff at some point in time.

  46. Dez quit on his team in an elimination game vs the Redskins. He wasn’t in the end of that game, he probably had strained his back raising his hand at his momma. That’s bad, but Romo was even worse. He ended that game with a HB swing pick, who throws HB swing picks, especially to end the season…pathetic…he had 3 picks that game too. The cowboys haven’t been relevant since the Internet was invented, they re nothing without Jimmy J. Jerry Jones the dictator fired the greatest coaches in Cowbkys history: Chuck Knoll and Jimmy J. Everything about that organization is a joke. Jay Ratliff realized it, he’s not healthy enough to play for the Cowboys but he’s healthy enough for 31 other teams…

  47. That’s a funny way to tell someone how great they are. Sure, I’m all for saying nice things to other people, but how about doing it in a way that doesn’t bring unwanted scrutiny on your entire organization?

  48. best in the NFL at kicking back on the sidelines drinking gatorade while the Peytons, Drews, Toms, and Aarons are working their azzes off studying snapshots and prepping their guys for the next series.

    the Cowboys won’t ever be the best in the NFL until Jerry stops micromanaging the team and hiring tantrum throwing nutcases.

  50. Bryant then proceeded to kiss Romo on the forehead and say “I love you” before tucking him in his bed at night.

  51. Passion… or foolishness???
    Heart… or arrogance???

    I choose the latter in both cases.

    Loved watching quiet and respectable Johnson… completely OUTPLAY and OUTCLASS Bryant.

    Head case Head case Head case. TO2.

  53. This is a pathetic excuse for a coverup for Americas biggest bandwagon. Those of you who are comparing Dez Bryant to Tom Brady have lost your minds!! If you don’t see the difference you are too stupid to help at this point.

  54. this is BEYOND damage/spin control

    what we want is what was said between dez/witten/ d ware.

    come on now.. he wasn’t screaming “we the best”

    during the witten in his face confrontation.

    Dez was screaming something close to ..”I ain’t gettting the ball I ain’t going out there”

    you can clearly see Witten say.. “GO THEN GO.. QUIT”

    that’s what we want to hear.. WE ALL know the nfl films have the audio.. RELEASE IT.. !!!

  57. bender4700 says:
    Oct 28, 2013 10:57 PM
    “We’re the best in the NFL on that,” Bryant told Romo. “We’re the best in the NFL.”

    Maybe he meant NFC east. Nobody will call them the best in the NFL. Not right now, that’s for sure.
    ————-
    And if they were in the NFC North they would be behind:
    Stafford/Johnson
    Rodgers/Nelson
    Cutler/Marshall

  60. Another dirt-ball! What are you on!!!! You are not even one of the top 15 teams in the NFL!!!! The only way the Cowgirls ever go to the SUPER BOWL, is buy a ticket!!! Bad coach, Choking QB and an owner, who knows nothing about running a team!

  63. How are they best at choking? When Romo threw two 4th quarter TDs to put Dallas up by 10? When the game was the line he did it twice! I didn’t know that Dez and Romo played in the secondary.

    When video evidence shows he is trying to get the team up, people still want to hate. Say what you want, Dallas has the number 2 scoring team in the NFL and that is with an inept offensive minded coach and offensive coordinator. I’ll take 21 more guys like Dez who actually have passion to win vs someone who is collecting a check in a loss.

  64. knicksmets says:
    Oct 28, 2013 10:57 PM
    Bryant wanted to win, he’s a good wr and he knows it. People make fun of him for his attitude but Brady freaks out on the sideline all the time and he isn’t bashed that much for it. I’d love for him to be on my team

    –Brady’s won three Super Bowls. When Dez wins three Super Bowls, then he can “freak out on the sideline all the time,” too. Until then, that act is classless & immature–period.

  65. Best in the NFL? The irony that a Cowboys player would say that considering one to the most oft quoted phrases came from an Ex Cowboy head coach, “You are what your record says you are”

    In this case, 4-4. Not even in the top 10.

  66. It’s a fraud…they claimed they recorded the Saints D lineman saying “show me the money” after Brett Favre was knocked out if the 2009 NFC Championship game and if u watched the video the dudes mouth was even moving while the audio sound was playing!!

  68. Someone is trying to squash the notion that Dez is an NFL Diva-head-case by instead demonstrating that he’s a legend in his own mind. Simply astounding…

  69. “We’re the best in the NFL”—meaning Why is Stafford and Calvin putting up bigger numbers than us?

  70. So much Cowboys hate and so little truth to so many of these comments. Whitten probably got mad that another guy was passionately telling his buddy that he wanted the ball. As a Cowboys fan, I support Dez getting amped up. Face it, the Cowboys have the worst “haters” in all of sports. Dez could save an entire building of orphans from a burning orphanage and some anti-Cowboys fool would claim he did something wrong.

  71. Right after Bryant said that, he added that his mother is the best mother ever, too. What a loser in more ways than the score.

  72. A lot of guys at ESPN owe Dez an apology. They used video w/o sound to base their decision to ASSume that Dez was being selfish, whining, etc.

    Romo explained it in his post-game, but that wasn’t good enough for some at ESPN.

  73. I’ve been a Cowboys fan for 20 years. I love Romo, Witten and Ware, but obviously their leadership and “passion” do not inspire the rest of the team, or there would be more accountability and better results. I think Dez is exactly what this team needs.

  74. If they had him mic’d up or have audio of the sidelines, I’d much rather hear the exchange with Witten….

  75. He’s completely void of any class and other than the Bungals, he’s where he should be, playing for Jerrah.

  76. @ knicksmets who says:

    Bryant wanted to win, he’s a good wr and he knows it. People make fun of him for his attitude but Brady freaks out on the sideline all the time and he isn’t bashed that much for it. I’d love for him to be on my team
    ———————–
    Exactly. I guess one’s appearance determines how much passion is acceptable.

  77. He opened-up his mouth early in the week and proclaimed that he was everything that Megatron is and more. Bryant became enraged because he didn’t want to lose his “personal” battle with Megatron – this was foremost on his mind while winning the game was a distant second. I’m sorry but, any amateur psychologist can read this guy’s body language and read between the lines of his words and arrive at only one conclusion – he’s a “me-first” guy. End of story.

  78. Hey Dez, you lost to the Lions. You’re not even the best in the NFC. Maybe the best in the NFC [L]east, but that’s as far as you can legitimately claim. And one more thing, when you act like that on TV, it makes you look like you’re being an a-hole.

  79. Dez Bryant is a great receiver stuck on an eternal .500 team. What a shame. Imagine what he could do on the Saints or the Patriots or the Broncos where he would be more appreciated and utilized more effectively! He wants his team to get excited and riled up and woop some butt! But he’ll have to play out his contract and go to another team to realize what it’s like to win it all. As long as J Jones is running things they will stay a .500 team. Geaux Saints!

  80. There’s a reason that they only released a portion of one of Bryant’s blowups and it isn’t because they didn’t record them.

  81. Funny to see so many people eating their own shoes this morning after audio was released and Dez wasn’t saying anything negative after all.

    People are so eager to hear bad things about people they make themselves look stupid before waiting for the full story.

  82. If Romo threw the ball to Dez the same amount Stafford threw to Calvin their numbers would be equal. 5 passes total thrown Dez’s way is unacceptable

  83. Romo has 20 TD’s, a league low 5 INT’S and is among the top 5 in QB rating in the NFL. He had 3 TD’s Sunday. He doesnt have to get PUMPED UP.

  84. So clearly, Dez Bryant was concussed before those comments??

    Dude, get in line….you’re not even close to the top of the list with that QB on your hip.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.