Dez Bryant
Encyclopedia
2010 - Rookie Season
Bryant was signed by the Cowboys to a contract very similar to that of VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
wide receiver Percy Harvin
Percy Harvin
William Percival "Percy" Harvin, III is an American football wide receiver, return specialist, and running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League...
(five years, $12.05 million, roughly $8.4 million guaranteed) on July 22, 2010. On July 23, 2010, it was announced that Bryant will wear number 88, the same as Hall of Famer Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
, and Cowboys legend Drew Pearson
Drew Pearson (American football)
Drew Pearson is a sportscaster and former American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.-Early years:...
. On October 17, 2010, Bryant caught his first NFL touchdown catch, on a 31-yard pass from Tony Romo
Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
. The Cowboys ended up losing that game 24-21.
In a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game vs. the New York Giants
2010 New York Giants season
The 2010 New York Giants season was the 86th season for the team in the National Football League and the team's inaugural season in New Meadowlands Stadium. The Giants improved on their 8–8 2009 record by finishing 10–6 and second place in the NFC East...
, at Cowboys stadium on October 25, 2010, Bryant caught four passes for 54 yards, two of them for TDs, and also returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown, making the longest Cowboys' punt return since Dennis Morgan's 98-yard return during the 1974 NFL season
1974 NFL season
The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings...
. On November 15, 2010, Bryant caught 3 passes for 104 yards and 1 touchdown, to become the first Cowboys rookie with a 100+ yard game since Antonio Bryant
Antonio Bryant
Antonio Bryant is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
.
During the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' 38-35 victory over the Colts
2010 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2010 Indianapolis Colts season was the 58th season for the team in the National Football League, the 27th in Indianapolis, and the second under head coach Jim Caldwell...
, Bryant went down with a fractured ankle. Indianapolis' Kavell Conner
Kavell Conner
Kavell Conner is an American football linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson.-External links:**...
held onto Bryant's leg while tackling him on a kickoff return, and the Cowboys immediately took Bryant to the locker room. He was placed on the injured reserve list and had surgery on the fractured ankle. He left the game with one catch for 14 yards and a 35.7-yard average on three kickoff returns.
Bryant finished his rookie season with 45 receptions for 561 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns.
2011
With the departure of Roy WilliamsRoy Williams
-Sports:*Roy Williams , New Zealand athlete*Roy Williams , 1952 Summer Olympics Canadian team member...
, Bryant won the starting job opposite of Miles Austin
Miles Austin
Miles Jonathon Austin III is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
.
Bryant started the first game of the 2011 season against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
where he had 3 receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. Dallas lost the game.
Bryant missed the second game of the 2011 season against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
due to injury as the Cowboys won their game in overtime.
Bryant started his second game of the season against the division rivals and previously undefeated Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
on a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game. Playing injured, Bryant managed 4 receptions for 63 yards in that game helping his team to a win.
In the fourth game of the season against the ,at the time, undefeated Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, Bryant had 3 receptions for 37 yards, 1 rush for 5 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns in his team's loss. His 2 touchdown game marked just the second time in his career with multiple touchdowns in one game.
Against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
Bryant had 4 receptions for 78 yards in a heartbreaking loss on the road.
In Week 7 of the 2011 regular season, the Dallas Cowboys went up against the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
at Cowboys Stadium. In the contest, Bryant had the most productive game of his season thus far, hauling in 5 receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown, helping his team to a win. His 5 receptions that game ranked 4th most receptions in a game for his career and his 90 yards were his second most yards in a game of his career. His yardage output of the game also ranked as the most yards in a single game for his 2011 season. Bryant was not officially given the start for the game. Bryant's best game of the season was overshadowed by rookie teammate Demarco Murray
DeMarco Murray
DeMarco Murray is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys who played high school football for Bishop Gorman and college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.-High school career:...
's record-breaking day.
The 7th game of the season pinned the 3-3 Dallas Cowboys against the 2-4 Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Lincoln Field. Bryant had just 3 receptions for 28 yards in a 34-7 loss. The 28 yards gained by Bryant was his lowest total yards in a game for the 2011 season through seven games.
The following week, against the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, Bryant recorded 4 receptions for 76 yards on 9 targets. Bryant also fumbled and lost the fumble, both for the first time in his career as he was tackled near the opponent's 1 yard line. The Cowboys got the win against the Seahawks 23-13. At the midway point of the season, Bryant had 26 receptions for 443 yards and 4 touchdowns on 6 starts. Similarly, in 2010 at the midway point of the season, Bryant had 38 receptions for 435 and 3 touchdowns on 2 starts.