Getty Dez Bryant, Jason Garrett
Safe to say there’s no love lost between Dez Bryant and Jason Garrett.
Taking to Twitter, the ex-Dallas Cowboys wide receiver verbally disemboweled the now-former Cowboys head coach, who was relieved of his duties Sunday night following a decade in the big chair.
At a moment when players are extending well wishes to Garrett as he embarks on his next chapter, Bryant took an entirely different course of action, championing his firing.
“I don’t have no sympathy for coach Garrett losing his job … The cowboys just became real contenders,” he wrote.
Brutal as his tweet may be, it’s hardly surprising that Bryant would revel in Garrett’s dismissal considering the thrice Pro Bowl pass-catcher blames the 53-year-old coach for wasting his prime with the Cowboys.
“I’m keeping it all the way 100000 right now.. you knew this very early in my career… I’m sorry I’m just stating facts … I know exactly what football is and I know how it suppose to be played… CJ you kinda crushed me with this one because you spoke a fact,” he wrote on Dec. 22 in response to another tweet, embedded below.
Bryant also sent out numerous tweets putting Garrett on the highest levels of blast, primarily for squandering a championship-caliber roster — deja vu for Dez.
You got the #1 offense in the NFL
The best defense since 90s
It’s no more scapegoats
After eight seasons, over 7,400 receiving yards and 73 touchdowns with the organization, Bryant was dumped by Dallas in April 2018, ending an era of overwhelming if controversial dominance.
His messy breakup with the Cowboys affected him so deeply, it contributed to Bryant’s decision to rebuff a post-release offer from the Baltimore Ravens. The still-free-agent wideout detailed his “unfair” departure from Big D during a September appearance on the ThomaHawk Show, a podcast hosted by former NFLers Joe Thomas and Andrew Hawkins.
“I wasn’t in the right state of mind to even be trying to play football. I didn’t like how my relationship ended with the Dallas Cowboys,” he said. “I felt like a lot of things went on in that organization that wasn’t fair. I think it was a lot of political stuff that was going on. I’m the type of guy that voices my opinion, but I do all of the research before I voice my opinion. I just felt like it was too strong. It might have rubbed some of the guys the wrong way, but if they did their research, they would see that it does make sense. It was just one of those things — my opinion versus theirs — and it was: should we have him here or should we not have him here? I was voted that I shouldn’t be there. It kind of bothered me, because I actually felt like I really stood for those guys, I really cared for those guys, especially the rookie guys that came in. A lot of guys into the hazing, I was never into that. I would like a rookie to come in and damn near feel like a vet. I felt like I had done a great job with amping guys on the field and off the field. It was real genuine things. That would be the most disturbing part for me, not being there, because I took that serious more than I feel like any guy inside of that locker room.”
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Current, Former Cowboys Go to Bat for Garrett
Earlier this week, as Garrett’s fate remained unclear, Cowboys cornerbacks Jourdan Lewis and Donovan Olumba lauded Garrett as a consummate professional, each recalling career-shaping interactions with the longtime head man.
Said Lewis:
When I got into that trouble before the draft coach Garrett told me, he believed in me as a person and a football player. I really appreciate JG though, seriously.
Said Olumba:
When I first got to the Cowboys coach Garrett said our team over our history has many successful 1st round picks to undrafted free agents. We don’t care how you got in the door the only thing matters is what you do now. He gets nothin but love from myself.
On Sunday, after news broke that Dallas would not renew Garrett’s contract, more players emerged from the woodwork with support.
C Travis Frederick on Jason Garrett:
“ In reflection, I am very fortunate to have spent the time I did with Coach Garrett…the group of men that he is going to be in front of will be better men and players because of him.”
READ NEXT: Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Releases Statement on Jason Garrett’s Dismissal
Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL