Cowboys COO responds to Dez: No such thing as 'Garrett guys'

Chief operating officer Stephen Jones squashed the idea Tuesday that the Dallas Cowboys' locker-room leaders angled to get Dez Bryant released.

The Cowboys cut Bryant on Friday after eight seasons without even offering the receiver a pay cut. He quickly blamed his termination on "Garrett guys" - in other words, members of the team who supported head coach Jason Garrett over the three-time Pro Bowl wideout.

"I don't understand that comment," Jones said Tuesday during a radio appearance in Dallas, per Nick Shook of NFL.com. "I certainly respect anybody that has a comment about the organization. You certainly always see things when it's difficult for a player to take the next step. Whether it's a Larry Allen, Demarcus Ware, an Emmitt Smith, all Hall of Famers who ended up playing with another team. Those things are hard."

It's no secret that Bryant and Garrett clashed numerous times over the years. Bryant often criticized his coach in the same fashion coaches try to keep players accountable for their performances.

"When you have decided to move on, maybe there's a thought in your mind that you weren't a particular coach's guy or an organizational guy," Jones added of Bryant. "But I certainly don't see that on this football team."

Bryant has reportedly attracted the most interest as a free agent from the Baltimore Ravens. However, the 29-year-old has made it known he prefers to stay in the NFC East, where he can gain on-field retribution against the Cowboys.