The X-Factor

The X-Factor

Desmond Bryant, better known as Dez Bryant, has been “THE X-Factor” since his high school days at Lufkin High School. Dez was born November 4, 1988 in Galveston County, Texas and later moved to Lufkin where he became a Texas football legend. Lufkin, Texas is a small city two and three hours outside Houston and Dallas, respectively, with an estimated population of just 36,000 people. Throughout Dez Bryant’s Lufkin career, he was undoubtedly his team and his town’s X factor.

As a junior, Dez amassed 48 catches, 1,025 yards and 21 touchdowns, an average of two first downs for every catch. In his senior year he was even more impressive, finishing with 53 receptions, 1,207 yards and 21 touchdowns. After his dominant senior season, Dez was a named to the Texas football super team. The accolades didn’t stop there, as Bryant was named 1st team All- State, and was rated a 4-star recruit by Rivals.com, a sign of future stardom. With multiple scholarship offers, Dez committed to play for Oklahoma State University. There, it didn’t take Bryant long to showcase his skills, and become the X-Factor.

At OSU, Bryant finished second on the team with 48 catches, 622 yards and 6 touchdowns his freshman year. Dez also set a freshman record for most receiving yards in a game with 155. During his sophomore season,  he more than doubled his stats to 87 catches, 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns and made an impact on special teams, returning 2 punts for touchdowns. Going into the 2009 season as a junior, the “X-Factor” was considered one of the best wide receivers in college football and a potential Heisman candidate. However controversy would prove to be a derailment, as his season was cut short because of a NCAA violation concerning his relationship with Deion Sanders. With little recourse and abundant talent, Bryant declared for the 2010 NFL Draft.

Before the 2010 NFL Draft, some analyst arguably saw Dez Bryant as the best receiver in the draft. Bryant’s pre-draft measurables were impressive, grading out at 6’2”, 224 pounds with a  4.52 40 yard dash and a 38 inch vertical. While his on-field talent was undeniable, concerns about his behavior off of the field led to Dez dropping to the 24th spot in the draft, were he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys signed Dez Bryant to a 5 year rookie deal worth $13.06 million. When it was time to decide on what jersey number Dez would wear, symbolism would play a huge factor. Dez and the Cowboys organization agreed on the number 88, worn by Cowboys legends Drew Pearson and Hall Of Famer Michael Irvin. The number also had negative connotations as it was worn by another Cowboys wunderkid receiver who flamed out, Antonio Bryant.

In Dez Bryant’s first career game as a pro, he had 8 catches with 56 yards. In week two versus the Chicago Bears, Dez showed why he was worth being a first round pick with his first career touchdown. Returning a punt 62 yards to the end zone, he showcased his explosiveness and elusiveness, and announced his arrival on the biggest level by celebrating and forming the ‘X’ with his arms. On one of the brightest stages in the NFL, Monday Night Football, Dez had a very impressive game with 3 total touchdowns, 2 receiving and 1 punt return for 93 yards against the New York Giants. Dez continued his strong play, and finished his rookie season with 8 total touchdowns (6 receiving and 2 punt return). Going into his second season, Dez would become more involved in the offense, increasing his totals in every receiving category. He finished the season with 928 yards, and 9 touchdowns.

The third year of Dez Bryant’s professional career was his breakout year. It put him in the discussion as one of the league’s best wide receivers and established him as the “X-Factor” for the Dallas Cowboys.

Dez recorded new career highs in three categories with 92 catches, 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns. In the 2013 season, the Cowboys X-Factor continued his dominance on the field. Finishing his second consecutive season with 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns, he was selected to his first Pro-Bowl. This past 2014 season, the last year of his rookie contract, was the Dallas Cowboys’ best season as a team. Dallas reached the playoffs for the first time since Dez was drafted with a 12-4 record. Not only was it the best season as a team, it was a record setting year for Dez in Cowboys’ history. Dez Bryant recorded his third consecutive 1,000 plus yard season to go along with double-digit touchdowns. He also set the new Cowboys’ single season touchdown receiving record to 16, previously held by Terrell Owens. Dez also had one of the best games in his career, in one of the most important games last season against division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. He caught a career best 3 touchdowns in a game Dallas had to win in order to make it to the postseason.

After beating Detroit for their first playoff win, Dez would forever be immortalized as the victim of “The Dez Rule” in the following week’s divisional round. Down 26-21 to e Green Bay Packers, on 4th and 2 with 4:43 in the game, Romo threw the ball up to his best playmaker. Being the “X factor”, Dez caught the ball, took three steps, switched the ball in his hands, and stretched out across the plane of the endzone for an apparent touchdown. After being initially ruled a touchdown, the call was challenged by the Packer’s head coach Mike McCarthy and overturned in the most controversial playoff moment of the decade. Off the strength of a dubious call, the Cowboys and Dez saw an impressive season dissolve before their eyes.

In the offseason, the Cowboys used the franchise tag on Dez, meaning he would be paid the average salary of the top 5 paid players at his position, but he would have no guarantee beyond the year. If Dez got hurt or suffered a decline in production, the Cowboys could release him with no financial consequences. Using his staggering production over the last three years as leverage (273 catches/3,935 yards/41 touchdowns) He threatened to hold out if he didn’t receive a contract extension before Week 1. The X-Factor eventually agreed to a 5 year deal worth $70 million, with $40 million in guarantees and a $20 million signing bonus. The deal made Dez the second highest paid wide receiver, with the most guaranteed money in his contract. On the top 100 players list voted by NFL players, Dez Bryant was voted number 15. He was the fourth wide receiver on the list, a slap in the face in comparison to his production. A man of few words and many emotions, Dez simply responded by tweeting “@NFLNetwork lol”.  That response told me Dez will be on a mission to prove why he should be the highest ranked wide receiver on any list.
At the outset of the 2015-16 season the Cowboys had high expectations, coming off their most successful season in 19 years. They were able to get off to a good start by winning the first two games against division rivals New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. In that initial game against the Giants, Dez broke a bone in his foot, finishing the game with only 5 catches for 48 yards. Projected to be without their playmaker for six to eight weeks, the Cowboys struggled to replace the production of Dez Bryant, losing 4 of 5 games without him. With a healthy Dez, and a returning Romo, cowboys fans can hope look  to seeing the Dallas Cowboys’ “X-Factor” Dez Bryant produce at a high level, and Throw Up the X on their way to a playoff berth.