Dallas Cowboys: Is Dez Bryant Becoming a Big Problem in Big D?

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is about as famous for what happens to him off the field as he is for what he does on it.

Yesterday, news broke that delightful Dez was kicked out of Dallas area mall for letting his pants “sag.” You know, when kids wear their dungarees a little past their hips and show their underpants. Yeah, that trend that has your state’s Congress looking to pass bills to ban the popular fashion style in schools.

Well, Dez was given a criminal trespass warning and told to leave. Supposedly he and the group of young men that he was in concert with got a little rowdy with the mall cops after they were given the warning and laced the mall security persons with a rain of profanities.

Again, Dez’s name is being mentioned for something that happened off the field instead of on it.

During Bryant’s rookie season with the Cowboys, he was nothing short of electric. Though Bryant's first year was cut short by injuries, one can tell that he has an exciting career in Dallas ahead of him.

But if this trend regarding Bryant’s off-the-field behavior continues, we may see more of Bryant in the media for other things instead of for making a jaw-dropping catch.

If you remember, Bryant missed his senior season at Oklahoma State due to “failing to openly disclose to the NCAA the full details of his interaction with a former NFL player not affiliated with OSU,” read a statement released by the school in 2009 after it was revealed that Bryant had dinner at former NFL star Deion Sanders' house.

Also, before last season’s draft, Bryant’s stock fell due to teams having concerns about his character and if he would develop into a problem child. He dropped into the Cowboys lap at No. 22, but it was due to most teams being scared away because of his off-field problems.

Last season, during a game against the New Orleans Saints, Bryant was shown yelling and pointing fingers after he was shut out for the first time that year, logging zero catches. Bryant said that it was emotion that got the best of him and not anger. His coach, Jason Garrett, even likened Bryant’s fire to that of Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin, a player Garrett shared the sidelines with in Dallas in the 1990s.

As of right now, Dallas has no major concern regarding Bryant’s behavior. The mall incident was minor and was blown up due to Bryant’s stature, the team he plays for and a slow news cycle for the NFL.

However, fans should keep a close eye on Bryant’s actions, as his personality is volatile enough to flip into that of a Terrell Owens or Michael Irvin. While Owens is a great player on the field, he has proved to be a lousy teammate and leader in the locker room, which is reason No. 154 as to why he no longer wears a Cowboys uniform.

Irvin was the team’s unquestioned leader, but his off-field issues weren’t a huge concern due to the Cowboys winning three Super Bowls in the '90s. This version of the Cowboys cannot handle that type of attention or scrutiny.

Bryant said that the mall cops' warning was to his friends and not to him, but what he fails to understand is that his friends were nameless in this story—he was name was splashed across the headline.

If anything, Jones and crew had better hope that Dez does as much growing up off the field as he will on it, because if he doesn’t, then his tenure in Valley Ranch may be short and bittersweet.

-JH