The Legend of Dez Bryant and the Most Expensive Team Dinner in History

[Verdict]

https://www.si.com/eats/2018/06/13/cowboys-legend-dez-bryant-rookie-restaurant-bill

Just two days into his first training camp with the Cowboys in 2010, Dez Bryant made an enemy of another brash receiver, Roy Williams. After practice, Williams tried having the rookie Bryant carry his pads to the locker room—and Bryant refused. For years, veterans have had rookies carry their pads. It’s seen as an unwritten rule, an innocent hazing ritual, a small sign of respect. “I’m not doing it,” Bryant told reporters at the time. “I feel like I was drafted to play football, not carry another player’s pads.”

Williams, a seventh-year veteran, was not amused. He remembered back to when he was a rookie with the Lions in 2004, back when he had to buy sandwiches and donuts for the airplane, and all those times he almost missed the team flight because he had to stop at so many different restaurants to fulfill every player’s specific request. He remembered all those practices when he had to lug around the vets’ pads, too. “I was drafted number seven [overall]—I still had to do it,” Williams says now. “Larry Fitzgerald had to do it, and he was number three! It’s just an unwritten rule, man. You just had to do certain things. I always looked ahead and said, ‘When the next crop of guys come in, I’ll get to enjoy the donuts.’ ”

It didn't help that Bryant and Williams were both competing for a starting spot. Williams had been largely a disappointment in Dallas ever since the Cowboys traded for him two years earlier, and Bryant, the Cowboys’ first-round pick that year, had already emerged as a fan favorite in camp. He was making the big plays that fans had been expecting from Williams.

Rookie Dez Bryant and veteran Roy Williams at a padless practice, June 2010.

Even so, Williams says he pulled Bryant aside and tried to resolve Pads-gate peacefully, behind closed doors. “I tried explaining to the young man: ‘Hey, this is the easy part, everybody has to do it.’ ‘I’m not going to do that. Blah, blah, blah.’ O.K., no problem.”

When Williams spoke with reporters at the time, he said there was no issue between him and Bryant. “We talked about it. [Dez] wants to concentrate on football. We’re going to let him concentrate on football,” Williams said, according to ESPN. “But, when we go out to eat, I’m going to be a little bit more hungry, and a little bit more thirsty.”

Looking back on the situation, Dez has been some sort of issue from the time he arrived all the way up through, and after he left. The guy has some serious issues. It's too bad you couldn't transplant a real brain in Dez or do a whole head transplant on him.

 

[ufcrules1]

....................Except fumble the ball on what could have been the game winning TD. On Thanksgiving, no less.

I had forgotten that one. All he had to do was protect the ball... but no...

 

[ufcrules1]

It's not really about that. It's about respect for the way things are done when you come into a new organization. Tough to build a team when there's active disrespect towards veteran players over something as small as entry-level rookie hazing.

Sorry, I disagree. Roy Williams didn't deserve any respect. He was a joke of a player and just came here and stole money from the team. I would have told him he could carry his own pads and then carried someone else's pads who deserved their pads to be carried. You have to earn that respect.. and Roy Williams didn't earn jack squat.

But if Dez didn't respect RW, he just needed to out play him and push him off the roster. Which is what happened, anyway.

Yes, Dez out played him from day 1. Dez was way better than him as a rookie. Roy Williams was a massive scrub. The type of player who keeps team from winning. He was more worried about someone carrying his pads than he was about making the team and those around him better. He should have carried Dez's pads. Like I said, screw Roy Williams.

 

[Idgit]

Sorry, I disagree. Roy Williams didn't deserve any respect. He was a joke of a player and just came here and stole money from the team. I would have told him he could carry his own pads and then carried someone else's pads who deserved their pads to be carried. You have to earn that respect.. and Roy Williams didn't earn jack squat.

Yes, Dez out played him from day 1. Dez was way better than him as a rookie. Roy Williams was a massive scrub. The type of player who keeps team from winning. He was more worried about someone carrying his pads than he was about making the team and those around him better. He should have carried Dez's pads. Like I said, screw Roy Williams.

Let’s agree to disagree then. But to be clear, it’s not just Roy Willams that gets disrespected in that situation. It’s the leadership structure of the position group, and of the offense. That’s the real issue.

 

[ConstantReboot]

Sorry, I disagree. Roy Williams didn't deserve any respect. He was a joke of a player and just came here and stole money from the team. I would have told him he could carry his own pads and then carried someone else's pads who deserved their pads to be carried. You have to earn that respect.. and Roy Williams didn't earn jack squat.



Yes, Dez out played him from day 1. Dez was way better than him as a rookie. Roy Williams was a massive scrub. The type of player who keeps team from winning. He was more worried about someone carrying his pads than he was about making the team and those around him better. He should have carried Dez's pads. Like I said, screw Roy Williams.

Say you what you want about Roy Williams - he didn't steal the teams money. The fool gave it away.

 

[Hadenough]

Its all about humbling these kids who have been told how great they are. It is also about becoming part of the team and learning to listen and respect the veterans.
Dez failed and it hurt him in the long run.

 

[DallasEast]

A lot of years have passed but the lingering perception remains there is no distinction between acceptable or non-acceptable hazing. All hazing is just identified as bad.

“Ew. Stop looking at me that way. You’re hazing me.” lol

 

[dallasfan4lizife]

Good trade by Jerry Jones with acquiring Roy Williams.

Even better contract. Sign him to a mega deal before he even put the helmet on.

 

[Big_D]

Sorry, that's BS. I wouldn't have paid that tab.

 

[CATCH17]

Dez the head case showing up with the antics as soon as he got there. Its always been about Dez for Dez.

When Dez did this at the time everyone cheered. WE all loved it.

Funny how arguments get changed for whatever is currently convenient.

Now that the cool thing to do is to bash Dez we say it was a bad thing that he didn't carry pads and got bullied into paying for dinner.

 

[ufcrules1]

Say you what you want about Roy Williams - he didn't steal the teams money. The fool gave it away.

He did give it away.. but I have no respect for Roy Williams coming here and playing like crap when he was paid outstanding money. What a worthless player.

 

[Big_D]

He did give it away.. but I have no respect for Roy Williams coming here and playing like crap when he was paid outstanding money. What a worthless player.

It was a worthless trade. We all knew how that would pan out before he even stepped on the field. He wasn't worth the picks or the money. Just Jerry being Jerry.

 

[kevm3]

I'll give Dez props for standing up for himself. That 'hazing' may be a tradition, but if he doesn't want to be messed with, great for him. I think even after that incident, Garrett put an end to the hazing thing, which I'll give Garrett props for.

 

[dogunwo]

I don't blame Williams for being bent about Dez not carrying the pads. That's bad form on Dez' part. And it sounds like Roy tried to handle that part of it the right way, at least. But getting even at the rookie dinner was pretty childish.

As the article reads, it wasn't just Roy Williams that wanted to get even. It appears that many players thought Dez was being a entitled brat about the pads thing. It was petty, but Dez had it coming also because he made it a story and now veterans had to answer questions about it. I'd rather carry some one else's pads as hazing rather than shaving my head or performing a song in front of the team.

 

[Seven]

I had forgotten that one. All he had to do was protect the ball... but no...

Exactly. He got his slow *** caught from behind and got it stripped.

 

[ufcrules1]

Exactly. He got his slow *** caught from behind and got it stripped.

He was too worried about rookies carrying his pads. He should have carried Dez's pads lol. That dude was sorry...

 

[Established1971]

Dez Dez Dez
They stab him with their steely knives but they just can't kill the Beast

Last thing I remember, he was headed for the door

 

[Established1971]

It was a worthless trade. We all knew how that would pan out before he even stepped on the field. He wasn't worth the picks or the money. Just Jerry being Jerry.

not as bad as 2 #1's for Galloway

Jerry has always been kind of obsessed with having a star WR
will be interesting to see how WR by committee will work out, he will have to begrudgingly praise it if/when it does

 

[CWR]

It's not really about that. It's about respect for the way things are done when you come into a new organization. Tough to build a team when there's active disrespect towards veteran players over something as small as entry-level rookie hazing.

If Dez had carried the pads and balked at footing the bill for the big dinner tab, that'd be a different story. But if Dez didn't respect RW, he just needed to out play him and push him off the roster. Which is what happened, anyway.

Youre right, but he makes a good point in saying screw Roy Williams. I agree with him there lol.

Obviously I dont have an accurate understanding of the league culture but I do understand being tough on rookies and making them earn it so to speak.

My FD is the same way with rookies, always hard on the young guys, but we take care of them at the same time.

Ive never been one to watch a slug fireman give a rook hell. Just because you got some time in doesnt make you worth a damn. Before you start being righteous make sure you're own game is tight.

So my message to Roy would be leave the rook alone and worry about yourself, because you clearly have your own problems trying not to be a huge bust!

Of course Dez mishandled it worse than anyone. My point is certainly not to justify Dez and his actions. Its merely to say Roy Williams was in no position to focus on anything but being a better WR.

 

[Idgit]

Youre right, but he makes a good point in saying screw Roy Williams. I agree with him there lol.

Obviously I dont have an accurate understanding of the league culture but I do understand being tough on rookies and making them earn it so to speak.

My FD is the same way with rookies, always hard on the young guys, but we take care of them at the same time.

Ive never been one to watch a slug fireman give a rook hell. Just because you got some time in doesnt make you worth a damn. Before you start being righteous make sure you're own game is tight.

So my message to Roy would be leave the rook alone and worry about yourself, because you clearly have your own problems trying not to be a huge bust!

Of course Dez mishandled it worse than anyone. My point is certainly not to justify Dez and his actions. Its merely to say Roy Williams was in no position to focus on anything but being a better WR.

Yeah, I agree with all of this, too. Roy Williams was such a disappointment in Dallas, all the way around.