Jason Witten: Dez Bryant has come full circle; 'I expect big things'
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten was in Shreveport, La. on Wednesday to speak at an Independence Bowl kickoff luncheon.
As part of the event, the 10-year NFL veteran took questions from media members. One of the topics he discussed was how Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has apparently put himself on the right track both on and off the field.
“Dez deserves that credit, not anybody else," Witten said. “He came into the league under some tough circumstances. He missed part of his last year in college when he was suspended, just working through a lot of different things. That happens to a lot of young athletes in the National Football League. But he's came full circle and matured in a lot of ways and obviously he's a phenomenal player.
“Dez should be proud of himself. As I mentioned [earlier], the standard gets raised when you perform at a high level in this league. I think he understands that the bar is going to be set higher for him going into this year. He needs to be one of the best wide receivers in the National Football League. In order to do that, he's got to do it day-in and day-out. I expect big things from Dez coming into this upcoming season."
Bryant turned in the best season of his three-year career in 2012, catching 92 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns. In addition, the 24-year-old has not been in trouble off the field since last July, when he was arrested on a family violence charge.
“I know what I want in my life," Bryant said in November. “I feel like I deserve to be here playing football, doing what I love. Everything that I've been through and experienced is all behind me. I could care less about it. I love football. That's my main goal."
(Hat tip to DCFanatic.com for posting the audio.)
Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota
