Cowboys practice ended Monday and most of the players just avoided the subject of wide receiver Dez Bryant refusing to carry Roy Williams pads after each practice as a rookie chore.
Linebacker Bradie James was just downright testy saying, "It's not a big deal! It's a big deal because you guys just want to talk about it."
I think Dez ought to just do what other NFL rookies have done. As long as no person is trying to degrade you as a man, go with the program.
Cowboys rookies have gotten ugly haircuts by vets in the past. Bill Parcells used to make high draft picks bring him water. Dez should just roll with it, but that's just my take.
The rookie first round pick was on record yesterday saying he didn't feel like it was his job to carry another man's shoulder pads. The media surrounded Bryant today and he declined to comment as he jogged of the Alamodome turf.
Roy Williams said Dez didn't have to do it and it was backed up by head coach Wade Phillips.
Wade told the media he just doesn't believe in hazing and any player who doesn't want to participate doesn't have to. "If it makes a guy feel uncomfortable, he doesn't have to," Phillips said.
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So that ends any talk of Williams desire to go to "phase two" as he promised on Sunday. He has also been briefed by Wade on his stance against hazing and said he is good with it, "e; We have talked, but it's not a big deal, and it's really not. I don't know why everybody is making it a big deal. You say it's Roy versus Dez, but that's not the way it is."
Williams tried to get his son to carry his pads after today's practice and he also refused. Williams said about Bryant's refusal to carry his shoulder pads, "The guy wants to do his thing, let him do his thing. Everybody has done to do it, he doesn't have to do it. Not a big deal, not football related."
I spoke to former Cowboys player Keyshawn Johnson today and asked him his opinion on Bryant refusing to carry shoulder pads. "You know, I agree with him," Johnson said referring to Bryant.
"They tried to make me sing my fight song and I just wouldn't do it. I wasn't there for all that silly stuff. I was there to win a championship," Johnson reminisced about his rookie season with the New York Jets in 1996.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers tweeted about Bryant, "I'd tell him he needs to pay his dues 'n fall in line."
After practice Cowboys tight end Jason Witten said, "It's been handled."
So the team is moving on despite opinions flowing in all around the NFL from seasoned vets who believe the Cowboys rookie needs to just carry the shoulder pads.
The head coach says it's not a story and we need to move on.
