Former Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant is making headlines after a traffic dispute in Southlake, Texas, escalated into a heated confrontation that ended with police detaining multiple people and issuing Bryant a misdemeanor assault citation.
The incident happened Sunday, October 25, after Bryant and two 19-year-old men crossed paths in traffic. What began as a disagreement on the road eventually turned into an argument in a restaurant parking lot, where video captured Bryant yelling at the men and knocking a phone out of one man’s hand.
What Happened?
According to Southlake police, officers responded to a shopping center near Kimball Avenue and FM 1709 shortly before 1 p.m. after receiving reports of a fight involving multiple people. Callers also reported a possible weapon, prompting officers to arrive with their firearms drawn.
No firearms were recovered at the scene.
Bryant, 37, told reporters that the confrontation started when he believed the two drivers had cut him off and were driving recklessly. He said he confronted them because he wanted them to drive more safely, but the situation quickly escalated.
In an interview with OutKick, Bryant claimed one of the men threatened to shoot him during the argument. Bryant acknowledged knocking a phone out of the man’s hand after the man began recording the confrontation.
Bryant also questioned the police response, saying an officer pointed a gun at him in front of his two daughters, who arrived with his girlfriend during the incident.
The Two Men Tell a Different Story
The two men involved, Noah Reyes and Terrance Avery, have disputed Bryant’s account of what happened.
Speaking to local news outlets, the men said they were heading out to eat after church and denied cutting Bryant off, driving recklessly or threatening him with a gun.
Avery said Bryant followed them into the parking lot and confronted them. He also claimed he tried to calm the situation down rather than escalate it.
Video shared by the men shows Bryant shouting during the confrontation before slapping a phone out of Reyes’ hand. The footage also captures Bryant confronting a young woman who was recording the incident.
Reyes and Avery said they felt threatened by the confrontation and denied Bryant’s allegation that one of them threatened to shoot him.
The two men also said they decided to share their account publicly after Bryant spoke about the incident, explaining that they wanted people to hear their side of the story.
What Happens Next?
Southlake police issued Bryant a citation for assault by contact, a Class C misdemeanor, and released him at the scene. Police did not issue citations to the other people involved.
The citation is not a criminal conviction, and the competing accounts of the confrontation remain disputed.
Bryant has publicly defended his actions and called for a thorough investigation into what happened, questioning whether police fully considered the events that led to the confrontation.
The former Cowboys wide receiver spent eight seasons in Dallas and became one of the most recognizable players in franchise history. He recorded 73 receiving touchdowns with the Cowboys and earned three Pro Bowl selections during his NFL career.
For now, the incident has left two very different accounts of the same confrontation, with video capturing part of the argument but not the full sequence of events that led to it.
