Ireland apologizes to Dez

Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland admits he asked it, and he regrets offending new Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant.

Bryant told Yahoo! Sports that, in pre-draft interviews, one team asked him if his mother was a prostitute. Yahoo! cited a source saying it was the Dolphins.

"They asked me if my mom's a prostitute," Bryant told Yahoo's Michael Silver. "No, my mom is not a prostitute. I got mad – really mad – but I didn't show it. I got a lot of questions like that: Does she still do drugs? I sat and answered all of them."

That prompted Ireland, the former vice president of college and pro scouting for the Cowboys, to release a statement Tuesday after talking to Bryant. (Ireland received permission from the Cowboys before calling Bryant.)

 

"My job is to find out as much information as possible about a player that I’m considering drafting," Ireland said in a statement released by the Dolphins. "Sometimes that leads to asking in-depth questions. Having said that, I talked to Dez Bryant and told him I used poor judgment in one of the questions I asked him. I certainly meant no disrespect and apologized to him. I appreciate his acceptance of that apology, and I told him I wished him well as he embarks on his NFL career."

 

-- Charean Williams

 

Comments

[Tom]

If Dez Bryant's family history is relevant because he's about to become a highly paid worker in a billion-dollar industry, so is that of Jeff Ireland, since each year, he allocates tens of millions of dollars more than Bryant will ever be paid in the NFL. What do we know about Ireland's mother? Is she bigoted? Given to simpleminded judgments about other people? Innately rude? Not particularly perceptive? Not bright enough to formulate intelligent questions? Frequently frustrated because she creates unnecessary drama with social missteps? Just asking.

[Val]

Ireland was misunderstood...he asked if his mom was still a "pusher".

[Rev Ruben Newell]

I'm wondering ,if this is the NFL that let's teams like Miami,say anything to their Players.Maybe Jeff Ireland just think this way when talking to Black Player.

[johnny grubbs]

tell jeff ireland the next time dallas plays his garbage miami team that bryant is gonna put up 6 tds on his ass.Will see the slapp'n him and that fat load parcells gets.

[tom]

to dj and oliwane----- what do these questions have to do with football?-- nothing-- but they can giv e you an idea about dez and where he s coming from-- stupid way of asking the question--- but ireland wasnt trying to "Disrepect", or put down dez---- stop worrying about being disrespected-- its a job interview--- nothing more ,nothing less--- and yes your rite-- regular job interview would have not been conducted this way--- BUT,nfl is not a regular $10 an hour job either

[JMSA]

I'm glad Mr. Ireland is no longer part of the Cowboys organization.

[oliwane]

Jeff Irleland, is your mom a prostitute or dad a pimp. How about your sister or your aunt. You are an effing creep. How about it, does your mom still do crack or shoot up? Are those standard questions you ask in an interview. That line of questioning is appalling! You and your organization suck because of that crap.

[DJ Mic Mayhem]

That is pretty disgusting, what the hell does that have to do with football. There should be things off limits.