Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has been fined an disclosed amount by the team for missing an MRI and a team meeting on Tuesday, according to the Dallas Morning News. The players were off on Monday, and when they reported for meetings Tuesday morning, Bryant wasn't among them. He did show up later Tuesday, but it was too late in the day for the MRI.
Coach Jason Garrett confirmed Bryant was a no-show:
Jason Garrett: Dez Bryant missed MRI on Monday, team meeting Tuesday and team meeting Wedneday
— Clarence Hill (@clarencehilljr) September 29, 2016
And here's why:
Garrett says Dez was fearful the MRI was going to have some bad news, so he avoided it. Was worried the news would be worse than what it was
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) September 29, 2016
Bryant twisted his knee during the first series Sunday night against the Bears, and as owner and general manager Jerry Jones explained Tuesday morning, Bryant had yet to have an MRI -- though the wideout assured us all it would take place on Wednesday. And he was right; coach Jason Garrett relayed the results to reporters, telling them that Bryant has a "slight hairline fracture in one of the bones in his knee."
Bryant missed several weeks last season with a broken bone in his foot and the offense, which was also without Tony Romo for 14 games, sputtered before stalling completely.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Bryant could miss three weeks, which would mean that the Cowboys would have to rely on Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Brice Butler and Jason Witten to be the downfield playmakers in an offense that has been very good with rookie quarterback Dak Prescott under center.
Since 2014, the Cowboys are 0-6 when both Dez Bryant and Tony Romo are inactive, scoring 11.4 fewer points than when both are playing.
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) September 28, 2016
Whatever the immediate future holds, the source told the Morning News that both the Cowboys and Bryant have moved on from the fine.
