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IRVING, Texas — As he entered the Valley Ranch locker room following practice on Thursday, Dez Bryant told a group of reporters that he's playing Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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"Only thing y'all need to know is I'm playing," Bryant said.
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The 24-year-old Dallas Cowboys wide receiver has a fractured left index finger that requires surgery. But he could choose to play in Sunday's game with the aid of a splint. Bryant was seen during the media portion of Thursday's practice wearing a padded white glove that allowed the tip of his index finger to be exposed.
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Cowboys tight end Jason Witten and cornerback Brandon Carr both said Thursday that Bryant looked good catching the ball during practice.
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"I took some reps today," Bryant said. "I took quite a few."
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Coach Jason Garrett confirmed Thursday morning that Bryant's Wednesday visit with a second hand specialist revealed "pretty similar" information to the first examination.
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"We don't have a definitive plan for Dez right now," Garrett said Thursday. "He did see the doctor yesterday. Nothing really changed. We're going to see how he feels today and see if there's a chance that he can play. He went through the walkthrough yesterday. He didn't do anything in practice yesterday. Seemed like he was feeling fine. But we have to make a decision there as to what we want to do. Dez is certainly a part of that decision. The medical analysis is part of that decision as well."
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The Cowboys training staff is looking into splints and taping methods that would allow Bryant to play Sunday.
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"He certainly has a willingness to play," Garrett said. "He certainly has a toughness to play. We just have to see if he can function the way he needs to."
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Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota
