IRVING, Texas –The Cowboys' decision to impose rules on Dez Bryant off the field are meant to keep the receiver out of trouble, but there's also more to it, according to head coach Jason Garrett.
"The balance with all players is you want to support them and you want to help them, but you also want to hold them accountable," Garrett said. "We feel like we do that, really, throughout our organization with all our guys. We believe in player development. We believe in helping them as football players on the field and as people off the field, and so what we've tried to do is come up with a plan for Dez, like we would with any player who we feel needs our support, and help him be his best as a player and as a person. And the accountability factor is an important part of that with him and with anybody on our football team."
The rules are believed to include a midnight curfew, mandatory security, abstention from alcohol and limitations on what establishments Bryant visits in his free time.
Bryant, 23, was given the new guidelines when the team returned from training camp.
"We've talked about his development since he's been here, as a person and as a player," Garrett said. "I just think he's done a great job. He continues to grow in both of those areas. We need to help him, we need to support him, but again, we need to hold him accountable. I think this is just an example of that."
Bryant was arrested in July for a domestic incident involving his mother, and could be subject to discipline from the league. However, the commissioner's office has yet to give an indication of what, if any punishment, will be imposed.
"We're going to control what we can control as an organization," Garrett said. "Dez has done everything that we've asked him to do at this point … Any decision about that is out of our control."
