Ravens WR Dez Bryant was ‘very emotional’ after first touchdown in over three years

It had been a little over three full calendar years or approximately 1,106 days or about 157 Sundays since Baltimore Ravens veteran wide receiver Dez Bryant had scored his last touchdown in an NFL game.

While he would’ve liked the long drought to have ended when the Ravens face his former team a few weeks earlier, it came on Sunday in the first half of what would end up being a 40-14 blowout win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Bryant ran a great route and got open right away but wasn’t Lamar Jackson’s first read on the play. As it began to break down, he was able to uncover late and connected with his quarterback for a diving 11-yard score in the endzone to put the Ravens up 26-0.

Dec 20, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) reacts after scoring a second quarter touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

When he hauled in his 74th career touchdown, one would’ve thought that it was his first or a game-winner with the way the sideline erupted and the emotions that came flooding in for Bryant himself.

“I’m being honest. I had to hold back my tears,” Bryant said. “It’s very emotional.”

Bryant was given a game ball after the game and told reporters that his daughter was on his mind when he scored and that she would be receiving the game ball that was given to him because she is the one that made him want to lace up his cleats again.

“After I scored, the first person I thought of was my baby girl,” Bryant said. “I’m serious when I tell ya’ll, I had no intentions of playing ball. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I’d be out here.”

The Ravens have quickly become like family to Bryant in the short time that he has been apart of the franchise with all of the authentic love and support that he’s received since originally signing to the practice squad before eventually being elevated to the active roster.

He is extremely grateful for the opportunity to extend his playing career even if it is just for this season and wants to reward the organization’s faith in his ability and leadership by performing well and being an example to the younger players.

“It’s been real raw love since I stepped into this building,” Bryant said. “Baltimore, Maryland has been straight love. It’s only right that I give it my all. … When you receive love like that, you’ve got to man up.”

Bryant’s teammates and coaches were just as elated as he was when he scored his first touchdown as a Raven.

“Gosh, I was just really happy for him. It was one of those moments that you could feel it,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “We’ve had a lot of conversations about that, leading up to that. So, I feel like it’s been a while coming. He’s worked hard; he sure earned it.”

“It’s just been tremendous,” Marquise “Hollywood” Brown added. “His personality brings a lot out of everybody – his energy, the presence he brings. So, just for him to get that touchdown, we were excited. Everybody was throwing up the ‘X.’ I’m happy for him.”

Following his first 73 career touchdowns, Bryant’s signature celebration was crossing his arms in front of his chest in the form of an ‘X’ and followed the same tradition after he caught his number 74. He explained the meaning of the gesture to reporters in his postgame presser.

“It’s a special thing for me to throw up the X,” Bryant said. “The meaning is to X out the negative. To truly never give up, to beat the odds, to destroy adversity. That’s what it means and that’s why I do it.”

Bryant has made such an indwelling impression on his teammates in such a short time and the energy he brings is so infectious that many of them threw up the ‘X’ in honor of him as he returned to the sideline after making the impressive play.

While he hasn’t put up gaudy stats in the four games that he has played with the Ravens, what he provides from and leadership and spark standpoint are similar to those that veteran running back Mark Ingram brought last season in his first year with the team.

His contributions off the field seem to be far more impactful than anything he can do on it right now outside of catching a game-winning or go-ahead touchdown. A selfless veteran presence such as his, Ingram’s, and others will be tremendous assets for a relatively young team fighting to make the playoffs and potentially go on a deep postseason run.

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