Dez Bryant has been a polarizing figure in the NFL world since coming into the league, but there was a time it didn't look like the wide receiver would even make it to the league. Bryant was born November 4th, 1998, to Angela Bryant, who was only 15 at the time. His mother was involved in illicit drug trafficking to try and provide for him, but with that lifestyle came a lot of moving around for Bryant.
During high school, he lived with an aunt, his girlfriend's family, and even his dad for a while. Bryant bounced around a lot, but if you were looking for him, the football field was usually a safe bet. In high school, he played 31 games and scored 41 touchdowns.
Bryant had struggles in school, but he worked hard enough to make sure he could attend college. At Oklahoma State, he was a standout, and during his sophomore year, he was named an All-American.
During his junior season, Bryant played in three games but was ruled ineligible following an incident where he was flagged for an interaction with former NFL cornerback Deion Sanders that was not previously disclosed to the NCAA.
He declared after his junior year and many believed he was the best wideout in the class. There were many who believed the Denver Broncos would select him with the 11th overall pick, but they passed on him. He continued to drop over character concerns until the Dallas Cowboys traded up to 24th overall to select him.
Dez Bryant impressed during his rookie year and his real coming out party came in October. On “Monday Night Football” against the New York Giants, Bryant caught two passes for a touchdown. He also returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown.
During his second season, he rose to a starter, but off the field, there were some issues. He was given a criminal trespassing warning after a dispute at a mall. He was also sued for personal loans in unpaid jewelry.
Before the 2012 season, Bryant was arrested on a domestic violence charge for striking his biological mother. In March of 2013, he further raised eyebrows when he spoke at a Dallas Men Against Abuse event saying he was done with domestic violence.
On the field during the 2012-14 seasons, he proved to be one of the best wideouts in the league. He had at least 1,200 yards during each of those three years. The best year was in 2014 where he caught 88 passes for 1,320 yards and 16 touchdowns. During the 2014 postseason, Bryant had the famous play where it appeared he caught the ball against the Packers that would set them up to win the game. Instead, it was ruled incomplete and the Packers came away with a victory.
In 2015 and 2016 he dealt with injuries, and it's when some started to question if he was already losing a step. In 2016 he played in 13 games, catching 50 passes for 796 yards and eight touchdowns.
In 2017 he played in all 16 games for the Cowboys, but the team decided to release him after the season. Dez Bryant couldn't find a job until nine weeks into the 2018 season when the New Orleans Saints finally gave him a chance. Just two days after signing he tore his Achilles, and Bryant hasn't gotten a chance in the NFL since.
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