Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is an emotional and outspoken player. While I have zero issue with his demeanor, some people do view it as a problem. He recently made comments on Twitter regarding him wanting a long-term deal, but his tweets should not ruffle the feathers of any fans.
Professional sports are all about business. When a team lets a player go because they are no longer worth what is remaining on their contract, most fans understand that; you don’t usually hear a large outcry from fans because they seem to understand that side of it. They get that a player who is no longer producing like they should hurts the team, and they are happy to see that money spent elsewhere.
But when an NFL player holds out because they are underpaid, or because the franchise tag was placed on them, he is labeled as “selfish,” and that is completely unfair. That is what’s happening to Bryant right now. Fans are crushing the star wideout because he doesn’t want to play for $12.823 million under the franchise tag this season. He wants a long-term deal, and he threatens to sit out if an agreement is not reached. I don’t get why fans have an issue with Bryant’s stance. Yes, over $12 million is a great deal of money that most of us won’t make anywhere close to this year, but why is him holding out for a long-term contract so horrible?
Plus, Bryant might actually be a player who is worth a long-term contract. The former Oklahoma State wideout has amassed 56 touchdowns in his first five seasons in the NFL. There are only two receivers who had more scores in their first five years–Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. In 2014, Bryant had 88 receptions for 1,320 yards and 16 touchdowns, and that was with the Cowboys having running back DeMarco Murray run the ball 392 times for 1,845 yards. Dallas ran the ball a fair amount last season, but Bryant still found a way to put up really good numbers. Murray is now with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas does not have a running back on their roster that will be able to duplicate Murray’s 2014 production. Many people are saying the Cowboys have the leverage in this contract situation, but they will need Bryant suiting up if they hope to make the playoffs again this season.
Teams don’t always honor an entire contract, and that’s okay according to most fans. Players, however, are held to a different standard, and it’s really difficult to understand why. Bryant is perfectly within his right to try to get the best contract he can. If he stopped performing at a high level while in the middle of a huge contract, the Cowboys would release him. Teams and fans can’t have it both ways.
