Former NFL player Dez Bryant just opened up on “The Pivot” podcast in a way that we don’t usually get to see Black men open up and be emotional.
Featuring Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder, “The Pivot” brings together the former NFL players to interview a variety of guests about their lives, experiences, and struggles. The only requirement, the guest has to always keep it 100.
Bryant was on discussing his experiences with the Dallas Cowboys, his upbringing with his family, and how his own life has influenced the way he raises his kids.
In the 90-minute episode, “The Pivot” crew dropped a couple of gems, but maybe the most valuable one came from Bryant himself. Pulling out his phone, the former receiver read a paragraph that he said he always keeps handy, reading: “Break generational curses. Quit yelling at your kids before they go to bed and expect them to sleep well. Quit yelling at your kids in the morning right after they wake up before school and expect them to have a good day.”
He continued, “You set the tone for your children. You set the tone for your voice that they will always remember in their heads. You become their inner voice. Don’t be their inner critic. Speak life, speak love, speak bravery, kindness, and hope. Speak wisdom and truth. Once of all, listen to your children.”
Bryant later added, “I never had none of that. I give that to mine. That’s my number one priority. I father that. That’s how I break it... I live it.”
Watch the clip below:
Personally, it’s always refreshing to see Black athletes talk about other things other than sports. As fans, we get so caught up in the “importance” of professional sports that we often forget that really means so little in the grand scheme of things.
Bryant was a player who was known to show emotions on NFL sidelines and as a result, he was criticized for it. His conversation with “The Pivot” is a reminder that these players we root for and against aren’t finished products as people. They’re learning in life as well, the only difference is, that there are millions of people watching them.
But as we see, Bryant has come out on the other side with the knowledge to help others who may have gone through similar struggles.