Dez Bryant on upcoming Cowboys matchup: ‘It’s gonna be an exciting moment’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
By the time Tuesday rolls around, Dez Bryant will have spent 1,074 days not in a Cowboys uniform.
Almost three years have passed, and Bryant, now a Raven, has moved on. But he’ll play in one of the most interesting matchups of his career Tuesday, when his new team hosts his old team at M&T Bank Stadium.
Bryant played 113 games for the Cowboys over eight years and tallied nearly 7,500 yards on 531 receptions. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and a one-time First-Team All-Pro. Now, he’ll get the chance to play against the team that released him.
“It’s cool, it’s kinda cool,” Bryant said Saturday. “I’m excited, I'm looking forward to it. A lot of those guys on that team I know, I’m real good friends with. I think when we line up across from one another, it’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be an exciting moment.”
Since he was released by the Cowboys after the 2017 season, Bryant has worked relentlessly to get back into the league. He signed with the Saints in 2018, but tore his Achilles just two days after signing with the team. He sat out both 2018 and 2019 in recovery, before latching onto the Ravens’ practice squad earlier this season.
Last weekend, with the Ravens in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak on the roster, he was signed to the team’s 53-man roster. Coach John Harbaugh called to tell him the news that morning, for which he repeatedly said he was thankful for.
Most hard feelings toward the Cowboys have dissipated since then and Bryant is now establishing himself as a Raven. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be a bit unique on Tuesday night.
“For the most part, it’s water under the bridge,” Bryant said. “That’s two years. I had time to get myself together. You’ve got to move forward with life because life’s not gonna wait on you. Time waits on no one. I had to get myself together, move forward. I’m back in my hometown colors, the purple, I’m excited about that. I’m here, I’m a Raven.”
