The 11 Best Dallas Cowboys of the Past Decade (2010-2019)
By Reid Hanson
No. 7 Dez Bryant, WR
Dallas Cowboys: 2010-present
You may not remember it but Dez Bryant was picked in the same draft the Dallas Cowboys added Sean Lee. While Lee was the red shirt second round pick, Dez Bryant was the gamble they took in the first. It’s safe to say both risk decisions worked out for ol Jerry.
All Dez did in his short, yet spectacular career in Dallas was reset multiple franchise receiving and touchdown records and establish himself as one of the most feared red zone threats of his generation. Dez became only the second player in NFL history (with Randy Moss) to score over 40 touchdowns in a three-season span (41 from 2012 to 2014).
His single best season was in 2014 when he pulled in 88 balls for 1320 yards, 16 TDs, and averaging 9.7 yards/target. That season culminated in the brutal loss at Lambeau Field where Dez’s pivotal catch was ruled an incompletion upon review. The overturned call has gone down as one of the most controversial calls in NFL history and it eventually prompted a rule/enforcement change that we abide by today.
Related Story. Dez Caught It: Years later, it was still a catch. light
Sadly, Dez’s extremely physical brand of play that relied on athletic ability over technique eventually led to his downfall. Once Dez could no longer out-physical opponents, he lost his edge and was no longer worth the price of admission. After that magical 2014 season, Dez never reached double-digit TDs again. He never exceeded 900 yards and his 3-year catch percentage from 2015-2017 fell below 50% (49.2).
Heart and Soul
From 2010 through 2017, Dez was the heart and soul of the Dallas Cowboys. He wasn’t just my favorite player but the favorite of fans and teammates on all corners. Yes, he had distracting outbursts from time to time, but that was a small price to pay for have a player who has more giveadamn in one finger than the entire Cowboys team has shown here in 2019.
Dez will go down as one of the greatest Dallas Cowboys of all time for his highlights as well as his personality. While Dez still hopes to #ThrowUpTheX for someone next season, the fact that he hasn’t played meaningful football in two seasons says that’s probably a pipedream.
2014 will go down as the pinnacle of Dez Bryant’s, Tony Romo’s, and DeMarco Murray’s careers. It was the closest thing to a Super Bowl team Dallas has had since the 90’s and I’m absolutely convinced they were the best team in the NFL that season. Romo’s brilliance guided the team, but Dez’s heart and passion drove the team.
If Dez Bryant could have sustained his early career numbers he’d be much higher on this list, but those three seasons of dominance are historic. 2012 through 2014 (the only seasons he topped 100 yards and/or 10+ TDs) are as good as any receiver in the history of the game.