Tag: Dez Bryant

Mike McCarthy presser entertaining, light on details of plans for Cowboys

A summary of head coach Mike McCarthy’s introductory press conference with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Mike McCarthy press conference to introduce him as the ninth head coach in the history of the Dallas Cowboys was more entertaining than it was informative. It was a certainly stark difference to the previous regime’s talking points, but it’s early on and the honeymoon glow is still abound.

The press conference was well attended, not only by the media which was out in force, but by some of the players currently on the roster and it didn’t take long for McCarthy to show emotion, choking up almost immediately.

The gravity of the situation isn’t lost on him, referencing his previous stop as head coach of the Green Bay Packers to explain how he knows what the expectation is for football in Dallas. McCarthy went on to call the Dallas Cowboys “the most iconic franchise in professional sports.”

The word was mum when it came to officially naming staff and game plans, though several names have been bandied about.  The main thing everyone wants to know is whether or not the team will switch to a 3-4 defense under defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, but McCarthy indicated that will all be revealed when they officially announce the coaching staff.

As for the staff, owner Jerry Jones clearly knows the chatter among the fan base, that he’s been too heavily involved in building the coaching staffs in recent memory and he was explicit in stating he wanted McCarthy to pick his own.

 

It wouldn’t be a press conference in Dallas without a mention of Jason Garrett, who, even as he was being ousted, remained as classy as ever. He gave rave reviews of his successor, telling Jones “you’re not going to meet anybody more special than Mike.”

Jones spoke lovingly, not only of his previous coach, but the entire Garrett family, noting that he’s written a check to a Garrett in some form or fashion for 28 of his 30 years in the league as he has worked with both his father and his brother through his tenure.

The highlight of the press conference came when the timeless question was posed to McCarthy: Did Dez catch it? It drew laughs from those in attendance and was answered as diplomatically as possible, saying “It was a great catch, I can say now. It wasn’t then, technically.”

He referenced asking referee Gene Steratore what the rule was at the time which Jerry Jones took umbrage with it capping it off with:

There will be more news in the coming days regarding actual football related material that will be covered in depth here at the Cowboys Wire. But for now, enjoy what is the beginning of a long ride.

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Did Dez catch it? New Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy gives diplomatic answer

The former Packers coach gave the correct response to the question: “Did Dez catch it?”

Former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy went the diplomatic route when asked the most important question of his introductory press conference in Dallas on Wednesday.

Did Dez Bryant catch it?

The question is, of course, referring to the controversial end of the 2014 NFC Divisional Round game between the Packers and Cowboys. Bryant’s late catch was reversed by a McCarthy challenge, and the Packers, who led 26-21 at the time, went on to beat the Cowboys and advance to the NFC title game.

McCarthy initially applauded Bryant for an incredible display of athleticism, crediting him for going up and over Packers cornerback Sam Shields to attempt to catch the ball. McCarthy also revealed that a conversation with referee Gene Steratore about the exact definition of a catch and logistics of the review eventually pushed the Packers coach to challenge the call on the field.

Then, he finally answered the question.

“It was a great catch, I can say now, but it wasn’t then, technically,” McCarthy, the new Cowboys coach, said.

It was a clever answer that should satisfy both sides of the argument.

Video evidence doesn’t lie: Bryant briefly lost control of the ball as he hit the ground, with part of the ball hitting the ground.

By the rulebook definition of a catch in January of 2015, it wasn’t a catch, as the replay decision reflected. Would it have been a catch in January of 2020? Possibly.

McCarthy later joked that the Cowboys and the league’s competition committee helped get the definition of a catch changed.

A Packers coach for 13 years, McCarthy was out of football in 2019 but will now take over a Cowboys team that went 8-8 in their last season under former coach Jason Garrett.

Dez Bryant took a swipe at Jason Garrett after Cowboys firing

“The Cowboys just became real contenders.”

The Dallas Cowboys finally moved on from head coach Jason Garrett on Sunday and waited little time to hire his replacement in former Packers coach Mike McCarthy. But don’t expect Dez Bryant to feel sorry for his now-unemployed former coach.

As the news of Garrett’s firing hit social media — which, of course, was during the Eagles’ playoff game with Seattle — Bryant took to Twitter to offer his reaction to Jerry Jones’ decision. Let’s just say that Bryant was happy to see it.

He tweeted that he didn’t have any sympathy for Garrett, adding that the Cowboys were finally real contenders.

The tweet was obviously posted before the McCarthy hire, so we’ll have to see if Bryant still feels that way. But Bryant has long been a critic of Garrett’s, especially after his release in April of 2018.

When Bryant got called out for kicking Garrett “when he’s down,” the former Cowboys receiver responded that he was being nice and could have added more.

Bryant last played in the NFL in 2017. He signed with the Saints in 2018 but tore his Achilles in practice, costing him both the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

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Dez Bryant goes to bat for Eli Manning: How can anyone hate him?

Long-time Eli Manning rival, Dez Brant, went to bat for the two-time Super Bowl MVP on New Year’s Eve.

With Eli Manning’s time with the New York Giants coming to a close and the potential for retirement on the horizon, the debate over his Hall of Fame edibility has hit a fever pitch.

Every time you turn around, someone new is throwing their hat into the ring and either making a case for or against Eli.

That trend continued on Tuesday night just moments before ringing in the new year when former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant threw some shade at the Manning haters.

Bryant’s comments came after a late-night debate with fans and other blue check-marks in which the topic of Manning vs. Baker Mayfield came up.

Eli’s former NFC East rival pondered aloud if reuniting Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. in Cleveland would be a smart move for the struggling franchise.

Whatever you think of Manning in Cleveland or even Bryant’s mere suggestion that it would work, it’s pretty cool to see a man squared off with Eli twice per season for such a long time showing him some legitimate love.

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Dez Bryant lists Saints, Ravens among the teams he’d like to try out for

Ex-Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant named the New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs among teams he’d like to play for.

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Last year’s Achilles injury sidelined Dez Bryant for longer than expected, and now the one-time New Orleans Saints wide receiver is looking towards next season. Bryant shared a cup of coffee with the Saints before going down in Nov. 2018, and before that he spent eight years with the Dallas Cowboys — appearing in 116 games (including the playoffs), catching 546 passes for 7,677 receiving yards and scoring 75 touchdowns along the way. It stands to reason that if he gets his body right, some receiver-needy team could take a shot on him at some point.

And he’d like to try out for the Saints again, if given the opportunity. When asked by a fan on Twitter whether he’d consider reuniting with the Cowboys, Bryant responded, “Yep for next year,” before listing squads he’d be interested in joining such as the Saints, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs. Naturally, all of those teams are positioned to compete for a Super Bowl title.

Bryant added that he could see himself helping a team as “deadly weapon in the red zone” after putting in the work to train for it. But he’s spent the last year rehabbing a surgically-repaired Achilles tendon, and at 31 years of age, it kind of feels like any interested teams would have brought him in already. But at least he’s remaining optimistic about his chances of starring in the NFL again.

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Dez Bryant tweets he’d be interested in returning to Cowboys in 2020

The Dallas Cowboys have plenty of offseason needs that will rise to the surface in short order. With their season likely set to expire following the Week 17 game against Washington, Dallas has an unprecedented 24 free agents they’ll have to either …

The Dallas Cowboys have plenty of offseason needs that will rise to the surface in short order. With their season likely set to expire  following the Week 17 game against Washington, Dallas has an unprecedented 24 free agents they’ll have to either re-sign or replace.

One former player may be interested in finding a role with the only team he’s suited up for. Wideout Dez Bryant responded to a fan inquiry by stating he’d be interested in joining back up with Dallas after sitting out all of 2018 and 2019 due to various ailments.

Bryant is currently the team’s all-time touchdown reception leader with 73, playing for Dallas from 2010 through 2017. He was released in free agency of 2018 and worked to build his health back up. During the season, he signed with the New Orleans Saints, but tore his achilles in a Friday practice before making his debut. He sat out this year but has spent it regularly engaged on Twitter while working out diligently to prepare for a comeback.

Would Dallas be interested in bringing Bryant back? As he mentions in the tweet, he’s been one of the best red-zone threats the NFL has seen. It certainly would be some reunion after the way he and the team parted ways.

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Seahawks feel set at wide receiver even after loss of Josh Gordon

The Seattle Seahawks are comfortable with the six receivers they have, even after losing Josh Gordon to another suspension for drug abuse.

The Seattle Seahawks receiving corps took a big hit earlier this week when it was announced that Josh Gordon would be suspended, yet again, for violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.

However, despite losing their No. 3 receiver, who had a spectacular 59-yard catch against the Panthers in his final game, coach Pete Carroll isn’t too worried about the depth at that position going forward – although he stuck with his mantra about the team always looking for ways to get better.

“We’re always looking, but I like our guys,” Carroll said on Wednesday. “We had seven guys active last week, so we’re still in good shape at this point. We’re always looking.”

The loss of Gordon will shift David Moore back into the No. 3 receiver role, and increases the role of both Jaron Brown and Malik Turner.

Rookie John Ursua was active last week as well, and could continue to be a part of the 46-man active roster this season.

Considering the team’s confidence in Moore and Turner, it does seem unlikely they will pursue any additions to their receiving group – although intriguing names like Dez Bryant and Antonio Brown will certainly at least merit a phone call.

For now, the Seahawks will go into Week 16 against the Cardinals with the six receivers they have, looking to pad their lead in the crowded NFC playoff picture.

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