Dez has every reason to be bitter—but Schottenheimer might just be the first sign the Dallas Cowboys are finally getting it right.
When Dez Bryant saw the Dallas Cowboys promote yet another in-house candidate to be the new head coach – someone without a flashy résumé or headline-grabbing reputation – you can’t blame him for assuming it was more of the same.
In his eyes, it looked like a rerun of the same-ol’ Cowboys: settling for comfort instead of truly chasing championships. So his reaction wasn’t about Brian Schottenheimer personally …
It was about a front office that’s burned him before.
Speaking in early February with Yahoo Sports, Dez questioned the Cowboys’ decision to promote Schottenheimer.
“I’m an energy guy,” he said. “My energy is telling me it won’t be successful.”
But here’s the thing: We’d say Dez isn’t just reacting to one coaching hire. He’s reacting to how the Cowboys treated him and he’s done that numerous times since his departure from Dallas.
So factor that in here when he talks so passionately of “his team.”
On The Pivot, Dez revealed what many already suspected: the Cowboys in his opinion put a “governor” on him once they knew he was due for a payday.
Perhaps worst of all, Dez felt “scapegoated” after being released when Stephen Jones on an interview with Sirius XM NFL radio said: “Dak is working on his game and his accuracy. He has to trust the system. I think that was difficult for him last year with Dez Bryant in his ear.”
Here we go with that scapegoat shit.. i charged everything to the game and went the other way.. y’all know what the real problem is .. don’t put it on me with that bullshit.. garbage ass play calling.. Everybody lined up in the same spot for 17 weeks..
https://t.co/YhG4cAPx6O
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) July 27, 2018
t’s probably fair to say Dez always felt like he wanted to win more than the organization did. And for a fiery competitor, you can imagine how tough it must have been to swallow that pill after he bled for the organization.
His passion was painted as a problem and as the above quote from Stephen Jones clearly illustrates: the franchise let him down– big time.
Let’s also make it clear—Dez wasn’t just passionate, in many ways he was right. He wanted to win more than anything. He was emotional because he cared. But the Cowboys of that era didn’t always reward that.
They preferred polished press conferences over sideline fire. Dez wasn’t a diva—he was a dog … but the locker room and front office didn’t always value value bark or bite. That tension didn’t come out of nowhere. It built over years of Dez watching the franchise submit to complacency and “settle” instead of going all-in on being great.
So yes, Dez has every right to feel animosity toward the front office. Looking at it from his angle … they did him dirty.
But here’s where the story flips.
Dez is wrong about Schottenheimer.
Since those February 6 comments, all signs point to real cultural change. Schottenheimer hasn’t flinched when grilled about physicality, roster decisions, or accountability. He’s direct, he’s honest, and players are buying in. The guy might not have “flash,” but he’s got something far more valuable: control of the room and clarity of vision.
“Energy”? The on-field product remains to be seen.
But for once, it finally feels like someone inside The Star is focused on the right things. And if we’re right? Dez Bryant is going to be very pleased about “his Cowboys.”