Offseason Storylines; Dez Bryant Talks Comeback, Cowboys, Dak, Motivation

On today’s episode of the 'Boys and Girl Podcast, Jane and Bobby return to summarize some of the latest headlines surrounding America’s Team. Plus, former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant sits down with Jane, Bobby, and his receivers coach David Robinson for an interview about his attempt to return to football. Follow Jane and Bobby on Twitter and subscribe to get all the latest inside information from two of the most connected people in the Cowboys’ community.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello, boys and girls, Welcome in to the Boys and
Girl Podcast with Cowboys NFL Network reporter Jane Slater and
NFL Network producer Bobby Bell. Cowboys Community with the inside
scoop on the Dallas Cowboys now coming straight to you

(00:22):
from the Lone Star State. Here's Jane and Bobby. Hey, gang,
We're so excited to be back. Bobby and I reset recharged.
We know that it's been about six weeks since we
last recorded a podcast for you. Of course that after
the McCarthy hire. Quite frankly, we needed a little bit
of a break after the week coaching search. But so
much to get you updated on and just a quick

(00:44):
programming note, we won't be coming to you as regularly
as we do during the season, just by nature of
the off season and where our various projects take us.
But when we do come to you, we're gonna make
sure it's fire content and Bobby, I think we're delivering today. Yeah, No,
today is gonna be great. And I think that know,
just because we're not gonna be coming to you as regularly,
Like Jane said, like, don't think there's gonna be any

(01:05):
sort of drop off in content. In fact, there may
be an increase in it because there's just gonna be
so much that we have to discuss all at once.
And you know, there may be times we're especially around
the draft, when we're around doing things so frequently, we
may be able to turn out some more stuff. But
either way, we're gonna bring you good stuff. And today
is going to be really great as we get a
chance to talk to Dez Bryant. Yes, before we get

(01:26):
to that, just a couple of things while we've been away. Uh,
I gotta catch you up real quick. On one super
Bowl party that I went to. Oh, yes, so I
got invited to this guy. Uh super Bowl party. It
was over there on Star Island, and I walk in
and literally why Cliff John is performing? Cardi b Uh
ends up showing up late at night because there was

(01:48):
sort of this cyclone slash monsoon or hurricane situation that
happened while we were down in Miami over the weekend.
So it's beautiful. Cardi b is one of your spirit animals.
She really is. I was like, oh, so she showed
up around three o'clock in the morning and we were
sort of stuck at this house. Imagine this like supermodern
house on the water with this massive yacht in front

(02:09):
of it. Everything you think of when you think of Miami.
It gets better, She am. I right, Cliff Kings, Mary
and Tom Brady right in front of me. We got Dan,
Danny Amondola. We've got Julian Edelman. Of course I know
Cliff and the crew from our Texas days. Well, we
end up because of the rain, sort of getting stuck
at this one table. Well, it's all Tom and Giselle.
You think I'd be over there being a good reporter

(02:31):
and trying to get the scoop on where Tom is
going in free agency. Yeah, you guys won't believe what
Giselle had to say to Jane about Bill Belichick. It
is it is something. Yeah, she didn't say, she didn't
say anything to me, But what she did say was
I walked up to her and I fan girled like
a twelve year old does because she is even more
stunning in person. I said, you are literally the most

(02:52):
beautiful woman I've ever seen. I mean, she is tiny,
she's dancing, and she literally has the Brazilian acts. It's just,
oh my gosh, lady, still wheet of you, she goes,
But I think you're so pretty too, and I literally
almost because I'm shameless. She doesn't remember anything after that,
she blacked out right. I shamelessly almost put my phone
in front of her and sat on days I'm having
a bad day, can you just record that so I

(03:14):
feel better about myself. So that was sort of my
Oh my gosh, I've made a moment. It was just
like I can literally never go to a Super Bowl again. Um,
And it was It's just it was awesome. And of
course I saw my boy Master from Untold Stories he's
done an awesome job with Bleacher Reports to shout out
to him from the Dallas area. Uh. He was also
at the party. So we're like, look at us. We're

(03:34):
just two kids from you know, the Dallas area and
you know, started at the bottom. Now we're here. So
that was cool. Of course, we went to Pro Bowl,
got some nuggets there and Mary Cooper telling me that
he wants to stay in Dallas. Uh, wants to be
here a long time. In fact, he's a straight shooter,
he is, and I feel like he just kind of
like that. I think he wants to be here as
much as people say, oh he seems to be a

(03:55):
powder or whatever, which is this weird narrative that seems
to have started after the season. I think he genuinely
likes being here, but I did think it was curious
Bobby when I asked him, okay, well, where's the contract situation?
And he said he hadn't talked to his agent about it.
They've been talking about other things, So okay, okay. Ezekiel
Elliott was great. He graced us with his presence on
Good Morning Football. He told us that Doc needed to

(04:17):
get paid. Of course, that's his hype man. You know,
he's sort of a more low key mark ingram to
his Lamar Jackson. And um, you know I did. I
did think it was interesting, you know he you know,
he talked about talking to Skip Pete. And you know
obviously now that Gary Brown is no longer with us,
which honestly, if I have to say, like no longer
with us, not as died, but just no longer, no

(04:38):
longer on the coaching staff, I gotta say that. And
Rod Marinelli hit me in a different way, so r
I p tod those guys, And I was a lot
of people we liked because I like, I mean, you
obviously had a good relationship with Gary and Marinelli but
just from a kind of a a more you know, uh,

(04:59):
I get great staff, honestly, I mean I really liked
k I did TV with Colombo before he decided that
he wanted to go and go back in the coaching ring.
Sanjay Law was always really and so yeah, it was
a little bit of a bummer to see how many
guys left. We we are left with just three assistant

(05:19):
coaches are being carried over. It's Leon Lett on defense, Um,
he's gonna be working with Jim tom Seul of the
new defensive line coach. And then on offense, Kellen Morris
staying in place, which seemed to be Mike McCarthy had
his say in this, and so that that to me
speaks volumes as a guy who does want to be
so hands on with the offense that he thought highly
enough to Kellen to keep him here. Um. But then

(05:39):
the other one that was staying, and it's a shift
in responsibilities is Dugna Spire, the tight ends coaches, shifting
to what is his more natural history as quarterbacks coach,
and he'll be working with Doc now and and that's
a good fit. I know a lot of people have
said when it happened you know, well, he's a tight
ends guy, was but quarterback is his background, and if
you ask anybody around the team, Doc has a really
good relationship with Doug na smuire and really likes him,

(06:02):
and so overall, I think it was tough to say
goodbye to some coaches, but I think the guys that
they did keep, I think everybody within the organization are
big fans of all Right. Some other things to just
chew on here before we get to the main course,
which is does Bryant our special guest as we are
here at the Sports Performance Center at Frisco, who has
graciously allowed us to spend most of our day here
with the podcast, Dak Prescott two nuggets. Uh. That doesn't

(06:26):
look like they've made any movement yet on this contract.
The two sides still seem pretty far apart. I was
told the Cowboys in staff meetings last year on six occasions, said,
is Dak our guy who was journaling that and marking
now taking notes. I thought it was interesting because, on
the one hand, I do think that there's an element
here of just doing your due diligence. Because I was

(06:48):
also told by another source that Mike mccarythy thinks that
Dak is in fact the guy, and he's right. He
thinks he's a guy that can make him great. Because
I asked a few weeks ago after I was, you know,
entrance by Giselle and I wanted to get her here
to Dallas. She woke up from her Giselle coma. Of course,
I said, why not go after Tom Brady? If you're
gonna pay thirty million, why not go and pay Tom

(07:11):
Brady that two years draft a quarterback? Haven't learned behind Tom?
If you're gonna make wholesale changes around here, do it? Uh?
And I was told that Mike McCarthy prefers to work
with the younger quarterback in this situation in Dallas. So
those are a couple of nuggets for you to chew on.
I also, I am curious you mentioning that that, and
you maybe they didn't get this specific from who you

(07:32):
had spoken with, But when they said that, the topic
came up of, um, you know, is Dak our guy?
Is this our guy? Do you know if that was
said in the more kind of like I don't know
if this is our guy? Is this our guy? Or
was it setting in sort of a deference like checking
with the staff, like, Hey, we're about to pay this guy.
Is this our guy? Is this the guy you guys
want to work with? What? What? What was your sense

(07:53):
of that? Do you remember when we did our podcast
a while back about Jerry Jones and how he is.
I was told that he'll do everything from pulling the
man on the street as it applies to his organization.
I think Jerry is constantly getting input. I think it's
no different than Michael Irvine came out with that report
a couple of weeks ago that there was this talk
about Tom Brady. Right, I don't think it was I don't.

(08:14):
I think there's a little truth in a little and
a little cocktails there, but I don't think it's any
different than Jerry pulling people. Now, Michael never said it
was Jerry that he talked to, right, Yeah, And Michael
even clarified later said it wasn't even necessarily somebody within
the Cowboys. It was just someone important in the league,
which could have been a Gil Brand, could have been
another GM somebody just chatting with him. But what I

(08:35):
would say is I think that Jerry's just always throwing
stuff out there to see the temperature. I think that's
what makes him so great as a boss, what makes
him so great as a manager. I think that's why
this organization is done as well as it has. That's
why it's a billion dollar enterprise. Multibillion dollar enterprise, is
because he's constantly getting the temperature out there. So that's
the way I would characterize it. Of course, at Combine

(08:56):
is when we sort of go off to these dark
alleys and you know, we are able to ask questions
that we wouldn't normally get from the facility. So I've
got a lot of questions next week. So you would
say you think that that those questions because I think
some people may react to that and go, oh man,
they're about ready to move on from Dak. Then you
you would say that's less about skepticism and more just
about literally gauging opinions on things that he may even

(09:18):
feel strongly about, and he just wants to hear what
people have to say. I think there's an element of that,
But I also think there's an element of frustration, as
I expressed and reported last season that his camp, despite
and I've said this, I feel like a dog that's
just won't let go of a bone. I was told
he asked for for his his agent, Todd France and
negotiations asked for that forty million dollar number. And we've

(09:39):
heard that the Cowboys organization seems to sense that that's
there's an element of greed there. Now. I don't know
how much I want to weigh into that. Honestly, I
think you've got to know that you're dealing with the
quarterback market, and that's essentially what the market is these days.
We're looking at thirty million for Dak. But I do

(10:00):
think it's I thought it was interesting the source felt
the need to share that with me, and I think
it's I think it just speaks to the fact that
they're pulling it isn't so different than when they pulled
the you know, the the captains on this team, whether
or not they should keep DEAs remember that, right, Yeah?
And I mean, I'm there's this is a an organization that,

(10:22):
I think, more than others maybe does really value the
input of players in decisions that they make. It they
may not let them. It's not inmates running the asylum.
I don't want to make a sound like that, but
they do value hearing the people who are affected. I
think you had talked about this at one point that, um,
you know, the Scott Lindahan decision to move on from
Scotland hand, a lot of that was about internal polling
and getting the sense of people within the organization. And

(10:44):
so that's what that does sound like, honestly, is just
you know, them doing their due diligence and look, we
may feel a certain way, but we just want to
gauge what do you guys think where are you at here? Which,
as Jerry reminded us that Mike McCarthy press conference, that
they do value the input of their employees, that they
don't just make these decisions at the top without input

(11:07):
from everybody else. So I thought that was an important
distinction that he made at the Mike McCarthy press conference. Yeah,
because I mean, honestly, um, let's just look at the
guy that we're about to talk to. Does Bryant. If
Jerry wasn't interested in taking feedback, Does Bryant probably doesn't
get released anyway, because Jerry Jones love. You know, Jerry
Jones is a sentimental guy, and this guy he believes

(11:28):
in redemption. So I do think it's, uh, it is
funny that there does seem to be this exterior opinion
about Jerry, and you know, he kind of rules with
an iron fist, but it's really not what we've seen
in a lot of the major decisions they've made over
the last few years. A couple of other news and notes.
I caught up with Jarvis Landry, who of course worked
with Adam Henry at both l s U and with

(11:50):
Cleveland Brown's. Described him as a disciplinary and of sorts
a father figure. Was shocked that he was no longer
with the Browns. I got a real sense of loss
that they weren't going to have him anymore. So I
thought that was interesting, uh, and then ask for George Edwards.
Caught up with Harrison Smith with the Vikings, called him
the glue that made that thing go if you look
at that defense. That's a pretty nice compliment from a

(12:13):
guy like Harrison Smith about George Edwards. So I think
the staff, uh that they've assembled has been an impressive one,
so to speak. But again, I haven't really had a
chance to get to know these guys. And that's why
Combines is going to be so important next week. Combines
switching things up, a lot of stuff going into primetime,
so pointed be interesting to see how much access most
of US reporters get to these guys. But I'll be

(12:34):
hitting the ground running ready to sort of get answers
because there are going to be so many questions this offseason.
And even though I said we're not going to be
as frequent as we are, I always have to walk
that back because I feeled the Cowboys, there's always gonna
be news, and of course when there's news, we're gonna
find a way to get into. Yeah, and April there
will you know, Jane and I will be together a
lot because there will be several days in a row

(12:55):
probably where we need to be doing things together and
and I'm sure there will be new news those days
go hey, why don't we just knock it out? So, yeah,
it's always this is a fun time. As they say,
there really is no off season. It's just another type
of season for the NFL. And while I'm sort of
shifting gears and like I'm filling in on Good Morning
Football March first or second and third in New York,
excited about that, You've also got some other side projects

(13:17):
that you're doing. I know you can't get into the
teams that you're doing this for, but I think it's
fascinating that you are serving as a scout of sorts
well I mean well more just like yeah, kind of
helping out UM some facilities and helping out UM agencies
and stuff with just you know, these guys heading into

(13:39):
the draft. When they head into Indianapolis, a lot of
the time they're they're coming from you know, Baylor or
something like that. Waco media is not the same as
the media that they're going to run into an Indianapolis,
and so a lot of them do like to get
mock interviews done and prep and so that is something
that I've been able to do this time around. That's
been you know, a good experience. It's just kind of
work with prepping some of these guys on what they

(14:00):
may get asked and and some of the tough questions
that might get thrown their way. And it's the toughest
one you've thrown one other way. Uh. It's it's hard
to say without revealing the exact school it comes from,
but um, you know, basically, I mean I have been
able to ask guys directly about failed drug tests and
suspensions and things like that. Okay, but I think sometimes

(14:22):
these teams like to mess with these the minds of
the they ask questions some rough history of football, right,
They want to know if these guys are like savants
in other words, because we do talk to players. I'm
always shocked that tell me, you know, they play football,
but they don't really watch football or care about it,
which I think is interesting. I feel sorry. I pity
the draft prospect that gets in a room with Mr

(14:44):
Rainman here and you just drop off with sports knowledge
on them to see if they know anything about the game.
Now they they I've been impressed with just about everybody
I've spoke with so far, and and they all seem
this has been a really sharp group. Actually, But you know,
there are some guys they're they're they're still green in
a lot of ways, and they're not savvy yet, and
so this is a good experience for them that they
can kind of get used to. Oh that's you don't

(15:07):
see even if that's the answer you give, let's say
it in a different way. That's not a that doesn't
sound like a good way. And it's not out of
any sort of uh, you know, disagreeable nature. It's just
they're they're not experienced that at that tight rope and
how things can get taken out of context really easily.
And look, I'm gonna let you shine here in the

(15:27):
off season because what I do during the season is,
you know, I dig I asked questions, uh, talked to
a lot of people. Where you just really excel is
this deep dive into the college world and the draft
prospects and talking to a lot of these agents. So
we're gonna be able to put you on a pedestal
here in this off season and let you shine. And unfortunately,

(15:48):
because we've sort of taken a hiatus and we have
such a big guest today, we're not gonna be able
to do that. But I am looking forward to that.
Why don't we just go ahead and get to the
entree that is does Bryant Well, I'm super excited to
be sitting down with one of my favorite guys that
played for the Dallas Cowboys. You sort of are the
heartbeat of the Dallas Cowboys organization. Even now you're here

(16:08):
at the workout at the Sports Performance Center at Frisco
and there are literally fans outside. There's some young guys
just waiting for you to sign swag people walking by.
All these young college guys. You need no introduction. I
got Dez Bryant here with me, as well as your
wide receiver's coach d Rob holding it down in the lab.
Of course, you had Corey Coleman up here as well
a little Jordan Humphrey. But we want to focus on you.

(16:31):
Does for a lot of people that have been following
your videos, uh, you know, there's been mixed emotions. Some
people say, looking a little slow still, maybe your time
is passed. What's your message to them? You know my
messages this right here, like first and foremost. I've never
been a speed guy, so I just blocked that out. Um.

(16:53):
I've been running routes. My routes has improved tremendously thanks
to this guy over here, especially getting in and out
of my brakes. You know. I used to rely on preyability, um,
which I still have. Um. You know, Um, I really
I really blocked it out. I n I could play
this game. I'm really not worried about nobody who never
played this game. Man. You know, for the people who's

(17:17):
still in this game seeing my workouts, giving me their feedback,
that's the only thing that matters to me, you know. Um.
You know, when I got guys like girl Thomas coming
on my stuff, getting messages from Patrick Peterson. Those are
elite DV guys. You know that's the only thing that
matters to me. So you know I'm gonna continue to
keep grinding. You know. UM, I got my head down.

(17:37):
I'm not expecting anything. I'm just gonna work and see
where it's taking me does. I was there for you
four hours after you got cut from the Cowboys. That
was an emotional day. And then I was there when
you got signed with the New Orleans Saints two days later.
You turn up on a route the Achilles injured. Awful because,
as you and I joked, I felt like I was
chopping you off at school and you found new classmates

(17:59):
and you were ready to rock. How are you different
now than you were back then? Mentally well, mentally, UM,
I felt like I had a lot of mixed emotions.
You know, I had just been recently cut from the Cowboys.
I wasn't I wasn't really trying to play football that year.
But I'm gonna save that for another time. UM, I

(18:21):
just wasn't where I needed to be mentally, And UM,
I appreciate coach paying for bringing me in, believing in
me and I appreciate those guys you know that was
there because they brought me in. They showed me crazy love.
You know, something that I never forget the best for
the eight hours of my life is up there. Um,
I never forget that, you know. And having that back

(18:42):
in my head, that's another reason why I wanted to
continue to keep grinding. But I wanted to take my time,
you know, so I can focus, really get my mind right,
really understand where I met in life, and you know,
just get my priorities in check. And I feel like
I've done that and I'm doing it now. And you know, I'm,
like I said, I'm just grinding, you know, and I'm
looking to play ball this year. Does you know? I

(19:04):
know you've said on social media and stuff that you
didn't want the does from two years ago. Like like,
regardless of what teams think, you know you you didn't
want that. Does Do you think that teams will want
this stas? Of course? You know they'd be crazy if
they didn't, you know. Um, Like I said, I want
to play football. These past couple of years, I wasn't
quite sure if I wanted to play football, you know,
um not because I didn't love it It was just

(19:26):
more so of me having a healthy brain, healthy just
healthy around me, making sure I got all the love
that I need around me. And you know, I need
to sit back and watch the game. I need to
sit back and you know, look at the guys. You know,
I just need to see the game and you know,
just watching from from the outside. And I did, and
the love came back. I had this guy, deep Robs,

(19:47):
you know, stand on me constantly about come on, man,
you still got it. You still got it, you know,
and you know, just hearing hearing it from guys who
believe in me, like you know what, hell with it,
you know, with it, Let's go, you know, And attitude
came back in that fire desire. You know, I'm so
you know, I'm here. I'm looking to see what I
can do. So Rob, you you think that's still got it?

(20:07):
Oh definitely. Um, I'm trying a lot of receivers for
a plus years in the NFL UM and he moves
just as well as those guys right now, especially coming
out of his achilles injury. And when you saw him
moving for a while back on the videos, of course
he was he wasn't that far removed from his surgery
and things like that. So of course he was gonna
be running with a little limp. But right now that
he's back healthy, he's doing everything that he needs to

(20:29):
do off the field, that rehab, the mainnance, the therapy
on his body that you know, keep him moving efficiently
so he looks ten times better. Does I don't want
this to be a pr stunt. I've always kept it
real with you, right, so I'm not gonna call him
you and I ask you some of these questions. You know.
One of the knocks I think has been, you know,
some of the social media stuff, right, you know, right
after you know, we had our sit down, you talked

(20:50):
about the Garrett guys. Then we're there at trading camp
and your name chucked some of them. Do you regret that?
Because I felt like there were some people within the
cowboy community but also teammates that you soured with them
because of all of that. Well, I say this, Um,
I think, um it was you know, it was emotional

(21:11):
time and um for guys who know me and a
lot of those guys you know who knows me inside
of that locker room. No, UM, I am emotional guy,
you know, but you know it's all for. It's awful
love you really, I mean, you know, I really don't
mean no harm, you know, but you know, I just
like to speak my piece, and you know from my
honest view, you know, UM, there's no bad blood with

(21:32):
none of those guys. You know, I still love those guys,
wish those guys the best. Like I said, I root
for those guys. He's past two years. You know. You
know who I'm rooting for. You know, Um Shun Lee,
he knows that. Um and any other guy that you know,
I ain't really have problems with with anybody on the
team really, at least I didn't know, But UM, I

(21:55):
feel like it's good. You know. I still take these
guys from here and there that I talk Pasique from
here and there. Um talked to Mary Something. Didn't play
with him Mari, but me and Mari text. We play
man together. I talked to Gallant whenever he's out and about,
and if I see him around, it's always good times
and good vibes. You know, UM, I don't think that's
never gonna change. You know, my heart is here regardless

(22:17):
wherever I go and play. You know, UM, you know
it's all love. I don't have no problem with anybody.
That's an important distinction. Do you think that you hurt
yourself at all when you were released from the Cowboys
by putting it out there that you we're still hung
up on the Cowboys, that there were only certain teams
that you want to play for. Do you have any
regrets turning down the Ravens the Browns, Well, I would

(22:40):
say this, Um, I don't want to necessarily say I
turned down Baltimorrow, um or Cleveland. That was a good reason.
Why didn't you know, didn't want to play ball? You know,
Like I said, I wasn't mentally there, you know. And um,
coach Payton, he was on me more than he was
really coming at me, more than and those other teams.

(23:01):
So I'm like, man, hell with it, you know. Um
he given me that opportunity to get myself together. He
wasn't just gonna throw me into the fire, you know.
So and UM he kept it real with me. So
I think it was a no burner, you know for me,
just even attempt to try. So that's what I did,
you know. So I don't want to say I turned
down the Ravens. I would have took that deal and
no time if my brain was there. You know, I

(23:22):
would have went with Cleveland no time if my brain
was there, but it wasn't. So you know, UM, you know,
I didn't want to disrespect the game and I didn't
want to disrespect myself. That's just who I am. That's
just who I am as a person. What have you
done to get your mind right? You know? Um, be
around my family, you know, be around the people who
love me. Um, focus on my projects, you know, the

(23:44):
things that I'm working on, you know, focusing on the
things that I can control, you know, just reflecting back
on the whole bunch of stuff. You know. Um, Like
I said, UM, I need I honestly felt like by
me being away from the game helped me in a sense,
you know. And you know, Um, I I took everything again.
I feel like I'm where I need to be. I

(24:04):
think things happen for a reason, and I'm gonna go
with that. Does you know when you talk about this
comeback and and the work you've been putting in with
d Rob and and everybody wants to see that because
you know, like you said, you were somebody who's getting
by so much on your athleticism, and maybe they see
you putting the work now and they go, yeah, but
that's your thirty one, you're coming off and Achilles, we'd

(24:25):
still like to see that athletic ability. I know you see,
I know you've started working with Bobby's troop over at
a peck um who's been really instrumental in in the
way Patrick Mahomes has come along. Um, I guess talk
a little bit about you know, what you're hoping to
accomplish with that work with a pack and how those
workouts have been going. It is Bobby, Bobby, It's tremendous.

(24:45):
I think he's exactly what I need, just like the
rob you know Bobby is. He's one of tho. It
reminds me of college and back when I was in
high school. You know, I can hear coach class voice,
I can hear Bobby's voice, Bobby and tune to what
he do. Like he's gonna bring the best out of you.
He's gonna make you feel like doing it when you

(25:07):
don't want to do it. You need those type of
guys around you, and that's Bobby. You know. Um. He
cared about his guys, you know, and he tells you,
He tells his guys the truth. Then that's what I like.
You know, the truth put you on your heels at
all times, and I think that's what I'm used to,
and that's why it's so easy for me to, you know,
gravitate to Bobby. So I'm actually looking forward to seeing

(25:29):
Bobby tomorrow and getting some working with him. Now, Rob,
I know we you said doesn't still got it and
and he's still got that ability. But you know when
you're out here and you're working that you guys are
talking all the time, and you know you're you're taking
in things from him, and you guys are figuring out
the best way to run these routes and everything. Where
do you still think does needs to improve on? This
way back? Where where would you isolate somewhere is like

(25:51):
this is what something we're still really trying to tighten up? Well,
I would just say them just the top end of
his routes, just the top end of his curls, comebacks
and arms um and and and just keeping his foot
up on him on his speed cuts and his speedouts.
Those are the things that I see he can he
can approve on, but he's got tremendously better um coming
off of the ball and he's gotten better bringing his

(26:11):
arms with him at the top of his routes. Um,
he looks more smooth and fluent. So what's there, it's
coming right now. We're about where we need to be.
So if you know, you have a lot of connections
with receivers and coaches around the NFL, and if one
of these teams was considering Daz and they said, you know, hey, Rob,
we we really want to consider talking to Daz or
or want to look at bringing him in. UM, give
us your assessment of where you think he's at right now.

(26:33):
Where would you if you're giving them a honest assessment,
where you think that is at in the comeback trail?
What would you say to them? Well, I'll tell him, coach,
I mean he's UM, he's a lot better shape, He's
about eight where he needs to be. UM. He's a
great team guy. He would be a great receiver to
having the room to show the young guys the ropes,
teach him how to be a professional, teach him how
to win on certain scenarios in the route running. UM.

(26:54):
So I definitely think that he will be asset um
brought in on any team that brings him in because
he asked that that experience value along with the passion
and the energy and the heart, that he has a
plan of position, and I think he'll turn the whole
receiver room into a war zone because everybody you know, um,
I'll be ready to attack and play and play like
how the need to play. All right, let's talk about

(27:14):
some of the other knocks does Because I talked to
jams around the league, I talked to coaches. One of
the things was being on time, and that's important when
you've got young guys in the room. They were trying
to build up the next cropper week young wide receivers.
They look to the veterans. Uh. Showing up to the
physical therapy treatments was another knock on you and just
putting in the work on your body. Are those things
that you're prepared to do for the next team and

(27:36):
that you've now realized the value of. Of course, of course,
you know, like a lot of those things that you mentioned.
I think that's a lot of things that was in
the beginning of my career and right now it's like
I gotta do it, you know, like I gotta do
it to get back right. You know, nobody's paying me
to do this. I have to do this. You know.

(27:58):
I'm getting up for if off o'clock in the morning,
get my mind right to go see Bobby. I gotta
go drive thirty five minutes to Fort Worth to go
to a peck. I have to do those things. I'm
not getting paid for that, So I think that's I
think that that's the easy part. You know. Um, Like
I said, I'm just getting myself back into the flow,
get my mind back right, and I'm looking I'm looking

(28:19):
forward to make plays because I know I still can.
It's funny to me, because I know you pretty well
at this point now does and a lot of people
that sort of shrug off this idea of you coming back.
I feel like I need to go read that Rolling
Stones article that was done on you a while back.
Talked about your childhood and what you came from, and
you and you and I talked about that when we
sat down after you got cut, that you came from

(28:40):
the dirt. When people look at this comeback is sort
of improbable. Maybe walk through how improbable your childhood was
to even get where you're at. Where what I was
saying earlier, you still two years removed from this league,
have Fans literally want lining up outside waiting for you
to sign a helmet. Fans still throw up the X.

(29:02):
It's iconic in a sense for a kid that came
from Left Can And and as you said, I really
had nothing growing up. I I just it's the raw,
it's it's the it's the passion. You know. I walk
a lot of people's shoes, you know, and you know,
I just I beat me and I think just by
being me, you know, they give a lot of people hope.
They're like, man, he can do it. I can do it,

(29:22):
you know, regardless of whatever situation is I And that's
just one thing that I want to give people. I
made mistakes. I'm not perfect, you know, and I don't
mind showing that. And I think when and and it's
all about the bounce back and when people see that,
you know, they attached onto it. And like I said,
I want to give who I am. I don't want
to give anything false. You know, if I fail, I failed, Hey,

(29:44):
look we tried, But that don't mean that I'm you know,
it's over, you know. And that's just the attitude that
I that I'm a fail of having. It's just gonna
remain the same do you feel like you were pretty
misunderstood when you're in the league. Does I always felt
that way. I always felt that way. Why, you know,
just the reasons for why I can't I can't explain why,

(30:04):
you know, Um, I can't explain why I was misunderstood.
But I know for the guys who know me, for
the guys who be around me, they know what type
of guy that I am. You know, there's so much
stuff that I can say what I'd have done for guys,
but that's just not me, you know. And you know,
I just don't feel comfortable. It's just that it's it's
from my heart. Everything is from our heart, you know.
It's like I like to see guys, you know, I

(30:27):
want to I like to help guys be in a
position so they can be their best. And I always
been that way, you know it Like I remember my
rookie year with the Hayes and stuff. I've never been
a fan of it. Um. That was Roy Williams. Yeah,
Roy Williams, you know, but I'll tell you this, Um,
he reached out to me too a couple of years back,

(30:47):
and he told me was proud of me. That meant
everything to me, you know, and um, because I guess
I'm assuming that. You know, he kind of understood. You
know who I am and you know where I come from,
you know. But it's just one of those things when
I go two bad experiences and things I don't like,
I'm flipping it. That's my whole goal is to flip
it to make sure other guys don't go through it.

(31:07):
Like when we would bring rookies in when I played
for the Cowboys. I don't need you guys to walk
on eggshells. I need you guys to come in here
and be the best. I need you to have that
same mentality that you had when you was that third
year and fourth of your guy there, Like, yeah, I
understand respect the respect the older guys, respect the coaches,
of course, forever do that. But when you step in

(31:28):
between those lines, I need that energy, I need that fire.
I need to see who you are. I want to
know what you're about. You know, and has always been
my attitude, like I'm no different from you. I don't
care how long I've been here, I'm no different from you.
You can teach me something and I can teach you something.
That's just always been my attitude. You know, when it came,
you know, whenever I'm inside of that locker room. You know,

(31:49):
it's just it's just who I am, regardless of the position.
To that end, so many young kids and grown adults
throughout the acts, I don't think a lot of people
realize where that came from. So for our listeners that
aren't familiar with what the X means, it's actually symbolic
of something for you that's important. It's something that we're
sort of talking about here in this podcast. It's really

(32:10):
basically it's X and not all of the negative, you know,
just focusing being ladies and focus and knowing that you know,
you shouldn't let other people opinions away on you, you know,
because we do. We all have different brains, and God
gave us that for a reason, you know, And it's
just that's what. That's what. That's the meaning that I

(32:31):
put behind it. But I did throw up the X
because of Dante Hall. I just wanted to put my
own meaning behind it. You know. Man, Look, I get
a lot of crap, but I know who I am
as a person. I'm an X this out and I'm
gonna stay ladies of focus and I'm going to like
my biggest goal is to be me, not change, not
change who I am, but just continue to keep being

(32:53):
me and let people see who I am, you know,
for themselves. You know it does. UM. I know you're
a big Facebook guy. You like that because you like
the ability to interact with people. It's like your little community.
I know you've said that before. UM. There was a
video back when you're at the Pro Bowl a couple
of years ago. UM as a video stream, and somebody
had asked something in the comment section. You said, I'm

(33:15):
gonna tell you this right now. I said, you guys
can tell the whole world the damn done playing for
Dallas is the damn done playing football? And I know
you you said you're in a bad headspace after the
release from Dallas. Do you still think that's true or
or are you still so committed to it? This has
gotta be Dallas for the comeback. Are you happy to
go elsewhere? Now? I'll do this. I'm gonna keep it
all the way on. It's in blunt you know. UM,

(33:35):
I would love have had that opportunity just because it's
not so much of Oh, I just want to play
for Dallas. I understand. I see what they have. You know,
I see the talent that they have. They have a
Maria Cooper now Michael Gallop. They have cod, they have Deck,
they have z they have Polar, they have a loaded offense,
they have draw Win And it's like, man, I ain't

(33:57):
really never been able to play with that much talent.
Like throughout my whole career. If you see, I used
to get double, I used to get extraly got over
the top. Now I can only think of man, you know,
not to be selfish, but I know if I got
placed in a position like that, I would do some damage.
I would do some damage, and I know it would
help open up a whole bunch of things where you know,

(34:18):
creating different certain type of packages. That's a dream, you
know that is that's a dream. Where it happened, I
don't know, we don't know. But when I'm at right now,
you know, my daughter asked me, Dad, Are're gonna play
football again? That was one that's what really click, you know,
like you know what, Yeah, I'm gonna play I'm gonna
play ball, you know, so you know, um, if it's

(34:42):
not for Dallas, you know cowboy fans, Hey, I want
to play ball. So let's see where I'm you know,
I'm gonna see who opened the doors for me, and
I'm just trying to, you know, come in and do
whatever they tell me to do. Be the best version
that I can't help in any type of way is
if that's me, you know, giving water to the quarterbacks,
here to the running bags, you know, telling the other receivers,

(35:04):
you know, certain things. You know, I don't mind. You know,
I'm just missed the game. That's how hungry you are.
Let's you've talked about and we've heard reports that you've
reached out to Stephen Jones. First, I want to know
how that that conversation went. Second of all, if Steven said,
because we know he could be a shrewd business man,

(35:25):
all right, does I'm gonna bring you in here for
about as cheap as I can go this? Does Briant
do that? Um, your agent's gonna hate me. I know,
I know it wouldn't be what I would want, but
I think it would be worth it. You know, I
think it would be worth it because I think those
guys have a real shot and going to the super Bowl.

(35:48):
I truly believe that. Like I'm not just saying that.
Everybody say what's gonna do the Super Bowl? They really
have a legit chance to do that, you know, And
it's just that's what I see. I know game. I
know the game of football, like I know the vibe.
I just know. I know the vibes, you know, and
I feel like I can help increase that vibe. You know.
So you texted Steven how to go? It went better

(36:11):
than I thought. I wasn't block. That's a good thing.
That's a good thing, you know. Um, I text him
and I spoke my mind. I just basically just told him,
you know where I met in my life, you know
how I'm feeling. You know, I had time to reflect
and all that stuff. Me knowing Mr Jones, Stephen Jones,

(36:31):
Hey this you know, Um, I hope the best, um,
but we'll be going in a different direction. He didn't
say those words to me, so right, So I took
that in I ran with it. So you know, it's
like that also, you know, increase the you know, the workout, like, hey,
we're gonna get it. Let's get it. You know, they

(36:54):
gotta see this after that attitude, you know. But you know,
like I said before, the most part, man, the conversation
went very well, you know, it wasn't long, but it
wasn't like him. That's not the stepen that I I
keep stepping on Bobby's toes. But I've got so much
to ask you. I'll let Bobby Way in here after

(37:15):
this question. Garrett, and the regime are gone. You've got
a new regime of Mike McCarthy and his staff. A.
Do you think a change would be good for you?
And do you think that you need more of a
disciplinarian type coach to keep you in line and get
you at practice on time, find you when you're not
at physical therapy? Do you need some boundaries? I don't.

(37:38):
I don't, I don't. I know your grown man. The
practice that the practice on time thing, I honestly don't
know where that came from. Really, but um we will
say that for another time. But yeah, yeah, of course,
of course, Like for the most part, when people say
that you know me speaking negative phone coach Garrett, it's
really not that. It's just I feel that I know

(37:59):
the game football. I know the vibe that you're supposed
to have when you're supposed to be playing this game.
When you're playing this game and you know, um, I
leave it at that, you know about Coach Garret because
I really don't want to speak much of him because
I don't want to feel like I'm speaking you guys,
clear things up to right, right, you know. It's just
you know, just the new look, just me knowing coach McCarthy.

(38:21):
You know over the years watching him, how he's done
things for Aaron Rodgers and you know, um, how he
loves too you know, um, how you like to run
his offense kind of similar different but kind of similar
to the Andy Reid type. You know, He's like he
liked the white outs out there, you know. So you know,

(38:41):
I just feel like he can he can create something
for me, you know, and he did, yeah he he
He finally acknowledged that, right, so you know, um he
that instantly made him a real win in my eyes.
So you know, so well, you were you were one
of the last asked I mean that there was the
negotiation with de Marcus Lawrence, but you were one of

(39:02):
the last real like franchise tag standoff guys that the
Cowboys had. And there's I think some concern or some
uneasiness and Cowboys Nation right now about it. They're gonna
franchise Dack and this is they're gonna be too far apart.
That's gonna get contentious. Everybody always likes to hear from
you in general, your thoughts on on things with the Cowboys.
So what do you think about the idea of getting

(39:23):
that locked up long term? My opinion, just my opinion. Um, yeah,
you got you have to you have to lock that up.
You know that he got He got these things that
you can't teach, you know, and a lot of people
don't have it. You know, He's really great with the
guys in the locker room, like that's that stuff is contagious,

(39:45):
you know, and a lot of guys don't have that.
I'm just gonna be honest. He's a great football player,
excellent football player. I watched Dad improved each and every year,
you know. And you know, I remember before he came in,
will McClay continue this himself. I still have text messages.
The first thing I tixed him was when we had
drafted Deck at the time he winner, you know, because

(40:05):
when I watched him a Mississippi State who heard the who? Who?
They all heard of Mississippi State, you know, disrespect from
Mike Leach and that SEC program for next year he
you know, it was you know, it was like and
I was like, damn, this guy real good. I had
watched the play against L s U and I was like, man, hey,
he's the real deal. You know. I didn't even think that,

(40:27):
you know, that was even the thought of drafting him.
That was the crazy part about it. And um, when
he came, you know, I was like, yeah, I could
just tell I could you can just tell? He his
chest highs hair high. You know, he's not trying to
be something that he's not. You know, that's who he
is as a person. And I think that's what I

(40:48):
loved about him, you know. And you know, and when
you like that guy's gonna naturally follow him. I'm a
lot older than him, but I'm like, yeah, I come,
I come follow behind that guy. And that's that's interesting
because you were there for of course a lot of
your career, the re injury issues with Tony Romo, so
they were always backup quarterbacks stepping in and having to
do things. You know, Kyle Orton and Brandon Weed and

(41:09):
Matt Castle. You play with all those guys and and
not to try and put them down at all, that's
not the comparison, but how was it different that year
when when Dak stepped in? Why why was the energy
different that years compared to other guys when they tried
to step in other than just the talent. Well, I
think because of I think him and I think that
Zeke had that natural rock connection already. I think that

(41:33):
played a part two, you know. And um, it was
a lot of new guys and you know, and they
knew Dad, you know, so and I think they had
a lot to do with it too, So you know, Um,
and then at the time, that's what work you had

(41:53):
to You had to stay with it, you know, and
that thing towards Romo because Romo he was excellent in
his way, and that is excellent his way. Either way
it would have worked. So okay, go wrong now now
and I will I am just curious because this is
the raging debate on social media right now. So Kevin
Sherrington from the Dallas Morning News had pulled Bradsham, babel Offfenberg,

(42:16):
and Gil Brandt and said, give me your top five
Cowboys quarterbacks of all time, all of them I believe
put Dak ahead of Tony And so now it's become
this kind of raging debate of you know who, who
whose legacy is becoming stronger. Obviously a lot of its
projection with Doc because he's so early. So so if
somebody who's gonna says we need it away in here,

(42:41):
but I'm gonna I'm gonna give you, I'm gonna give
you my un disappliance and I'm gonna go year for
a year. Okay, So yeah, if you you really can't,
you really can't compare it because that can't play it
as long as Tony. But if you go a year
for a year, yeah you have to say that a little.
What that has done? My bad? But now you're gowut

(43:04):
of two out of three years he's been to the playoffs,
you know, and you just gotta give that toe. You know,
you look at this when when lose ratio, you know
he's one way more games, ain't even loss. You don't
have something. I'm the president of the Doctor, president of club.

(43:24):
He's an unofficial president. All right, I've got to ask
you this. Then, since Bobby touched on it, you got
yourself in a sort of contentious contract negotiations with the
Jones family. And I can't imagine that they're the easiest
to go against because you've got the public sentiment. It
is the Cowboys. We're talking about it at nauseum. People
are now saying Dak Prescott is greedy. Why not worry

(43:45):
about your teammates. You've got to get you know, a
MARII paid Byron Jones. You know, you've got all these
free agents. Describe what it was like going through your
contract negotiation and how you shut out everybody. Granted you
had rough nation negotiating that one, which he todd friends,
how did I shut it out? Did I shut it out?

(44:07):
That's the question. You know, it was tough. You know,
it was real tough because you know, I spent all
these years with the Cowboys, and I'm like, man, you know,
what's the whole of I'm like, you know what I'm about,
you know, and hearing all these things that you know,
I didn't hear before it kind of bothered me a
little bit and I'm not realizing, oh, this is this

(44:30):
is the business, you know, And you know, um, my
message to that is, you know, like just block out
all the other stuff. It's gonna get done. It's gonna
get done, and don't worry. You are the guy, you know, Um,
you gotta know that for us and foremost, he is
the guy you know who I wouldn't replace him. I'm

(44:50):
just being honest. I'm being I'm who are you gonna
replace him with? You know? It's it's it's one of
those things that you don't want to mess up. He
got the potential to bring you several super bows just
because he's that type of guy. Damn. You know, Like
I said, um, you know, I pray that you know
Mr Jones, the whole aventire Jones family. I'm just stand

(45:12):
at um no that he's Hey, that's what you want,
that's what you want leading your franchise. Um, it's not
every day you're gonna pull up on that press, Scott.
It's it's not every day, you know, first round ticking
around that stuff. Don't mean that. Don't get caught up
in that. He got something that can't be coached. And

(45:33):
you know I'm not I'm not just shooting smoke. And
look at DeMarcus Lawrence and Zeke how contentious those things
got and they both got paid. Yeah, you got paid.
People are gonna get paid and it'll get done right now. Now,
I know you've we've sat here and you and you've
talked a lot and made reference to it, and you've
padded Rob on the shoulder here and said this guy
right here next day, just in general, I guess, expand

(45:55):
on what Rob's coaching has meant to you the last
year and a half, and in general, because I mean,
it's one of those things where you always hear when
you talk about a veteran or what makes a veteran good,
one of the go to lines football players always have
is he's seen a lot of football, so he knows
a lot of football. So you've seen a lot of football.
But it seems like you've learned a lot. Even coming
to Rob as a guy who's seen a lot of
half I have, I've learned a lot. I've learned. I

(46:17):
say this about coach Rob. Um, I'm not saying this
because you here. I didn't see this away from you know,
when he wasn't around me. Like he's really like put
a whole different perspective on the game for me, Like
just just basically like just repetition and penetrated to the
small things, things that I wouldn't even think about. Like

(46:38):
he really he's a big reason of the fire that
I got. He's a big reason he brought my companidence back.
And I you know, we talk around and you know
we last time we left out of here, I say, look,
when I win to comeback player of the Year, you're
gonna be right there. I told you that, right, and
I mean that because I just feel I feel like,

(47:01):
you know, um, I would have been let it go
if it wasn't for him. That's how I'm just gonna
shoot you straight. You know, Um, I'm excited. Hey, He'll
tell you I hit him up the Hey, what time
we going? You know, yeah, it used to be the
other way around, the other way around. It's like, you know,

(47:21):
I'm I'm excited. You know, I'm excited to listen to him.
You know, like he's know what, he knows exactly what
he's talking about. Like I said, you know, he's around Guru,
so you know, he he's everything. You know, whenever I
get on the team for his game, he has to
be there. You know. It's it's that type of fields,

(47:43):
that type of vibe. You know, he he made me
want to you know, you're a big reason for me
being his way. And you know it's thinking back to
something I know earlier You're talking about teammates in the
locker room chemistry, and you were seeming kind of romanticizing
it a little bit. We all saw that viral clip
from the All or Nothing where you and Jordan Lewis

(48:04):
kinda went head to head and it was a little contentious.
But I know you guys looked back finally at it
when it was is that what you missed most about
the game? But the juice. That's not the first time
in Jordan. I can imagine we all we've all heard
Jordan talk, but where Jordan was a rookie, like and

(48:25):
coach Garrell's sitting there. Uh, there's a lot of coaches
just sitting there. And I remember I had I had
beat him on um, I beat him on a slot
fate and who was getting ready to running other play?
I forgot who. I want to say it was Byron
who stepped in front of me. Jordan moved Byron out
of way and he was like, nah, I want him.

(48:46):
I instantly fell a little, I did. I instantly fell
a little with him because I was like, that's what
we need, this is what we're missing on the defensive
side of the ball. And I used to always step
I used to always step on the table from Jordan
needs to play. I don't know why Jordan playing like
the practice stuff that don't bother me. Yeah, we're gonna

(49:07):
get into it in practice. We're gonna fight in practice.
Like but I know when game time comes Sunday, hey
let's get this ship. Yeah, you know it's that typic
of all right, go to war, bring you closer. You know.
It was those things like still to this day. You know,
I'll talk to George from here and there, like you know,

(49:27):
I was, I forgot this, um a little facility that
I was going to right around the corner from here.
Some of the guys go there, And I was talking
to Jordan, just let him know how proud I am.
When they played the Chicago Bars and the interception that
he had got on the sideline, I was like they
should have been playing him. I'm I'm literally sitting on
my couch on like they should have been playing him,

(49:47):
you know, because this is the type of guy that
he is. And the scooping score against the Giants, you know,
he he just had that nap for the ball, you know,
um the interception against the Saints, you know, to seal
the game up, Like I just gravitate to those kind
of players I can recall like and there's only a
few players that I do that with. Jordana ball player.

(50:07):
I live ball players. You know your dog for the game.
I gotta tell you, it's hard listening to you talk
about your passion for the game, because I sat down
Tony Romo at Super Bowl and he's just as passion.
And I think about Jamarco Murray when I talked to
him to not see you guys, Jason would and throw
him in there, to not be able to get something done.
How hard is it for you to do these workouts

(50:29):
a block away from the Star, to be this close
to Jerry and Stephen and not go knock on their office,
to not go to the stadium and go to these games.
Mike McCarthy said it. I thought very interestingly when he
took away from football and he said I needed football,
we needed football talking about his family. Does that resonate

(50:50):
with you? Of course? Of course exactly right now at
this point, you know, at one point of time, like
I said, you needed, you just need that time to
sit back and reflect. You don't know what you're missing
to It's gone, you know what I'm saying. And me
being thirty one. People wanted to be like, oh, you
know that's old man. This is guys still doing it
in the league thirty two, thirty three, thirty four playing
wide receiver. And you know, um, I'm like, man, I'm

(51:13):
not that, you know, I'm I'm right there. You know,
I'm still in between a little bit. You know, like
if I was thirty three or something, I would like, um,
look at Adrian Peterson playing one of the toughest positions
in the league, or or look at Richard Sherman coming
back having an All Pro year and his thirties off
and Achilles. Yeah, you know. So so it's and I

(51:34):
tell you this just one thing that I learned to
focus on too, you know, like you know how it
is with negative stuff that's gonna get the most highlight,
that's gonna get the most shine and most bright you know.
But what I've learned to do well was just I'm
gonna stay focused on this positive Like do do you
look at do you really see like it's like God
talking to me. Look at all of these thousands of

(51:55):
thousands of positive comments. You're just gonna point out that
one negative and let that make you feel some type
of way. Now we're gonna scratch that. These people believe
in me, So you know what, I'm gonna believe in
me just as much as they believe in me, and
I'm gonna keep on rocket. So that's the attitude. So
I love that does does. Thank you so much for

(52:15):
sitting down with us. I know it's been a while.
I always feel like when we can sit down sometimes
I feel like people can sort of see that side
of you that doesn't always get projected. You know, social
media isn't always our friend, uh, but I think the
people that do know you to your point earlier, they
know what you're about. Having been your friend and coverage you,

(52:35):
I've seen a change in you. So I want this
for you. I hope this works out for you, and
we'll keep following your workouts, and I know your fans
are anxious see where you end up. Appreciate it. You
the man. We always appreciate you allowing us into your
workouts and you keep cranking out some of these boys
in the league. Okay, okay, man, he deserves the NFL
job too. By the way, I'm kind of selfish because
if you do that, then that'll that'll get you on

(52:59):
that for sure gets you on the roster because then
and then Rob's Collin shows. All right, thanks guys for
your patients and of course for the fact that you
guys subscribe and care about what we're doing around here.
We promised to deliver more fire content as it applies
to the Cowboys. With twenty four free agents that Dot
contract and Maury Cooper Byron Jones, Jason Witt and Shawn
Lee Uh to talk about in the off season, we'll

(53:21):
have plenty of stuff. See you next time.