What is Dez Bryant's Net Worth?
Desmond Bryant is a retired American football wide receiver who has a net worth of $16 million. Dez Bryant earned his net worth thanks to his roughly $54 million in NFL career earnings.
Dez Bryant played in the NFL between 2010 and 2020, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys. During his tenure as a Cowboy, he earned three Pro Bowl selections and was named an All-Pro in 2014. Bryant finished his playing career with the Baltimore Ravens.
Contracts
In 2015, Dez signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Cowboys that included $45 million in guaranteed money. This was a significant contract for a wide receiver, and some people argued that it was too much money for a player who had not yet proven himself to be a consistent performer. However, Bryant went on to have two of his best seasons in 2016 and 2017, and he helped the Cowboys win two NFC East titles.
Bryant's career came to an end in 2018 when he was released by the Cowboys. He signed with the New Orleans Saints, but he tore his Achilles tendon in his first game with the team and was lost for the season.
Early Life and High School
Desmond Bryant was born on November 4, 1988 on Galveston Island, Texas to 15-year-old mother Angela. He had a difficult upbringing, as his mother was arrested for dealing crack cocaine when he was eight. While attending Lufkin High School, Bryant spent time living in eight different homes. He found his calling as a football player, and in his junior year at Lufkin led his team to a 14-1 record. As a senior, Bryant recorded 53 receptions for 1,207 yards and 21 touchdowns, and was named an All-State selection. He also competed in track and field in high school, and was one of the top competitors in Texas in the triple jump.
Collegiate Career
Recruited by a number of programs coming out of high school, Bryant ultimately chose to attend Oklahoma State University, where he played for the Cowboys football team. For his freshman year, he finished second on the team with 43 receptions for 622 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. Bryant had an improved sophomore season, posting 87 receptions for 1,480 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns; as a result, he was named an All-American. That would be Bryant's last full year playing at Oklahoma State, as he was ruled ineligible for most of the 2009 season due to violating an NCAA bylaw.
Dallas Cowboys
In the 2010 NFL Draft, Bryant was selected by the Dallas Cowboys. He had an impressive rookie season, posting 45 receptions for 561 yards and six receiving touchdowns, and becoming the first Cowboys rookie to record multiple punt returns for a touchdown in the same season since Kevin Williams in 1993. Bryant improved his stats in 2011 with 63 receptions for 928 yards and nine touchdowns, and did even better in 2012 with 92 receptions for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns. For the 2013 season, he finished with career highs of 93 catches and 13 touchdowns, and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. Bryant had his single most productive NFL season in 2014, catching 88 passes for 1,320 yards and recording an NFL-leading 16 touchdowns. As a result, he made his second consecutive Pro Bowl. The Cowboys went on to the playoffs, where they fell in the Divisional Round to the Green Bay Packers.
At the start of the 2015 season, Bryant suffered a foot injury that sidelined him for many weeks. He returned in Week 8 in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. With only nine games under his belt that season, Bryant finished with 31 receptions for 401 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He dealt with injury again in 2016, and finished with 50 receptions for 796 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games. The Cowboys returned to the playoffs that year, where they once again fell in the Divisional Round to the Packers. Bryant was also named to his third Pro Bowl. He played his final season with the Cowboys in 2017, finishing with 69 receptions for 838 yards and six touchdowns as the team missed the playoffs. Bryant was released by the Cowboys in the spring of 2018 after having played eight seasons with the team.
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New Orleans Saints
Nine weeks into the 2018 season, Bryant signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. However, after tearing his Achilles tendon during team practice, he was placed on injured reserve and was never able to play any games with the Saints.
Baltimore Ravens
After taking off the 2019 season to recuperate from his Achilles injury, Bryant joined the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad in 2020. He was elevated to the team's active roster in November, before being sidelined with COVID-19 in December. In the Ravens' Week 15 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bryant caught his first touchdown pass since 2017. He finished his abbreviated season with six receptions for 47 yards and two touchdowns.
Legal Trouble
In 2011, Bryant was sued for nonpayment of legal fees and jewelry he acquired on credit while he was a student athlete. The case was settled in court. The following year, Bryant was arrested on a domestic violence charge for allegedly hitting his biological mother Angela. Later, in the summer of 2016, he was sued by Texas state senator Royce West for allegedly damaging West's rental home in DeSoto, Texas.
Personal Life
Bryant has two sons named Dez Jr. and Zayne. He is in a relationship with Ilyne Nash.
