Cowboys star Dez Bryant goes on tirade directed at reporters

IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant left the locker room Thursday during the open media access session after a prolonged rant aimed at reporters.

Initially, Bryant was upset about a story written last week by ESPN's Jean-Jacques Taylor. The two exchanged words before wide receiver Devin Street attempted to get involved. Street then claimed Taylor used a racial epithet.

Taylor, who is black, denied using the slur. Three others present in the locker room said that Taylor did not use a racial epithet.

Part of the exchange was reported on Twitter by Robert Klemko of The MMQB.

After learning Klemko shared the situation on Twitter, Bryant exchanged words with Klemko, saying what he tweeted was not accurate. A public relations assistant stood between Bryant and Klemko.

"If you're going to report something, report it right," Bryant shouted.

Tight end Jason Witten, who was meeting with reporters a few feet away, briefly ended his interview and attempted to help calm the situation before coach Jason Garrett and Rich Dalrymple, the Cowboys' senior vice president of public relations/communications, entered the locker room.

Bryant called the media "dirty" nine times as he spoke to Garrett, then walked out. He later returned, sat briefly at his locker and walked out with music blaring from a wireless speaker system.

After the media access was over, Bryant responded on Twitter: "Yeah, I blew up on the media but report why I blew up on ya'll ... Saying I don't give f--- about me and calling players n----- is not professional."

He followed up by tweeting:

Later he returned to Twitter questioning how he is being portrayed.

Dalrymple said the Cowboys would have no comment on the incident.

In the locker room afterward, Bryant said he would not speak to the media again.

Bryant made a similar comment after the Cowboys' 13-12 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 1, which was his first game back after a five-game absence because of a broken right foot.

At that time, Bryant was upset at a tweet from a Houston reporter that unfairly portrayed him making a derogatory statement to Seattle wide receiver Ricardo Lockette, who suffered a neck injury when he was a hit by Cowboys safety Jeff Heath while covering a punt.

"I won't ever, ever, ever, ever wish bad on a player that's been knocked down. C'mon, man. Stop with the bulls---," Bryant said after the game. "Not once did I say that's what you get. I got on one knee and prayed for that man. I got on one knee and prayed for him. C'mon, man. Don't put clips together and do that."

The Cowboys are in the middle of a six-game losing streak, the franchise's longest since 1989. Witten was asked whether the frustration that boiled over in the Bryant incident is a result of the losing.

"Honestly, I don't know what happened there," Witten said.