Dez Bryant's eyes lit up as he recalled the moment this summer when he realized his injured right leg was healthy again.
“About the end of June, I was in my backyard, playing basketball, feeling good, dunking, windmilling, 360s, doing everything,” Bryant said. “That's when I knew.”
Now with training camp under way, the mercurial second-year Dallas Cowboys wide receiver is out to prove he's as sound in mind as he is body.
Bryant had an impressive rookie season, but a tumultuous offseason increased doubts that he can act professionally on and off the field.
It all began in the spring with an incident at a Dallas mall that required police attention. That embarrassing situation was followed by a spate of legal issues that revealed debts nearing $1 million.
But Bryant said he did a lot of growing up in the months that followed and is ready to toe the line this season after reportedly amassing fines in the six figures last season for tardiness.
“I know you guys are going to be watching everything I do, but that's life,” said Bryant, 22. “I feel like I've matured more as a man, and, hey, I'm ready to go.”
He better be. With the release of Roy Williams, Bryant is slated to start alongside Miles Austin.
“I really learned some great things from Roy,” said Bryant, who has continually looked impressive in practice at the Alamodome. “I feel like I'm ready to fill that spot.”
But can he do it without drama? The former Oklahoma State star said the answer is yes, and he even offered his game plan for staying out of trouble.
“By listening to my coaches, doing everything they say, being accountable, being on time, doing everything right,” Bryant said.
The Cowboys say they believe him.
“Oh, absolutely,” new receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said last week before he was hurt in a practice collision with another wide receiver. “I think he's accountable. I think he wants to be a guy that can be counted on by the coaches, by his teammates, by the organization.”
Robinson conceded, though, that Bryant is a work in progress.
“It's a day-by-day process,” Robinson said. “You take a couple of steps forward, then maybe you take a step back.”
Before he suffered his season-ending fractured fibula on Dec. 6 in Indianapolis, Bryant justified the Cowboys selecting him 24th overall in last year's draft by catching 45 passes for 561 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games. He also returned two punts for scores.
Those were impressive numbers, but Robinson sees plenty of room for improvement for Bryant, who had a plate inserted to stabilize his leg shortly after the injury occurred.
“The number one thing is that when he gets on the field, he's got to know what to do,” said Robinson, who earned a Super Bowl ring with Green Bay last season. “You've got to know where to line up, number one, and what to do, secondly. You've got to know the adjustments. There is a ton of things.”
Coach Jason Garrett agreed.
“He's made progress, but he still has a long way to go in terms of understanding our system and a long way to go technically,” Garrett said.
The Cowboys' patience with Bryant stems from the fact that, due to an NCAA suspension at OSU in 2009 and several injuries, he's logged only 15 games in two calendar years.
“He did so many really good things at a young age without a lot of work,” Garrett said, “so he's a guy we believe could continue to grow and grow as a player.”
Bryant's love for the game also contributes to Garrett's optimism.
“He plays with great passion, emotion and enthusiasm,” Garrett said. “Anybody who watches him play can see that. So when you go about it the way he has and you are as talented as he is, and now he gets more of an opportunity, there is no reason for us to think he can't get better.”
Two of Bryant's teammates agree.
“His future is bright,” quarterback Tony Romo said. “He'll continue to grow each rep that he takes.”
Said Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten: “I'm impressed with what I've seen. He's coming off a tough injury, and he looks great. Physically, that guy has a whole lot of ability. I am amazed by him. And I've been around a lot of great players.”
But can Bryant walk the straight-and-narrow path Witten knows so well?
“He knows nothing is going to be given to him, that he has to earn it,” Witten said. “He's learned a lot through the experience of his rookie year, and I think he is anxious to come back this year and show everybody what he is about.”
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