Tony Romo: Cowboys leader upset with Dez Bryant following camp fight

After recently signing a long-term contract, that was supposedly postponed due to concerns about negative off-the-field behavior, you’d think the very last thing that player would want to do is be involved in a fight. But when you are a player who is fueled by passion, like Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant is, this outcome isn’t surprising.

During training camp practice on Sunday, Bryant and second-year cornerback Tyler Patmon got into a well-publicized fight. Both players ripped off each other’s helmets and proceeded to swing away. Neither of them really connecting. After being separated, Bryant managed to take another swipe at Patmon before the madness finally subsided. Both players later shook hands and hugged it out on the field for both media and fans to see.

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Although many have laughed off the absurdness of the incident as a simply case of two hot heads displaying their passion for the game, one Cowboys leader apparently didn’t find the scuffle at all funny. In fact, if this same scenario plays itself out in an actual regular or postseason game, the price could be much more costly than just bad press. It could rob certain players on this team of their last real opportunity to play for a Lombardi Trophy.

With so much on the line this year, it’s no wonder Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was upset with Bryant after the scuffle on Sunday. Dallas’ vice president, Stephen Jones, revealed exactly what the veteran quarterback told his top receiving target immediately following the incident.

"“(Romo) said, ‘Nothing good’s going to come from this’,” Jones recounted in a radio interview on the Ben and Skin show (KRLD-FM105.3) via the Dallas Morning News on Monday. ‘If you turn around and break your hand, then I’m going to end up breaking mine because I’m going to be so mad at you, I’m going to hit you. So no more of this hitting and no more swinging, let’s move on and get to work’.”"

Obviously, Romo’s was simply trying to make Bryant understand how important he is to their team. As the 35-year old quarterback’s chances of winning a ring are tied directly to the emotional recevier, can you blame him? Obviously, picking a fight with a second-year fringe player, who appears to have gotten into your head, does not bode well for your mental maturity. And that was against his own teammate. What’s going to happen when trash-talking corners from divisional rivals start lining up against you in September?

Although playing with emotion can land you a Hall of Fame career, like Cowboys great Michael Irvin, it can also hurt your team. For example: In the Cowboys postseason game against the Detroit Lions last year, a helmet-less Bryant rushed the field to dispute a pass interference call on linebacker Anthony Hitchens. Have you ever heard of an offensive player ever running out onto the field to dispute a call made against his defense? That action deserved a penalty and would have likely cost the Cowboys their first playoff win since 2009. Fortunately, no such penalty was called. But that still doesn’t excuse the action.

Bryant’s passion is his biggest asset…and his biggest obstacle. If the talented wide recevier let’s his heart overrule his head again when the games actually count, you can bet Romo will not be the only one in line to take a poke at him.

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