Sapp credits Romo's gutsy play, says time to reel in Bryant

NFL Network's Warren Sapp told ESPN Dallas on Tuesday that if stories about Dez Bryant missing treatments and skipping out on team meetings are true, it's time for Cowboys veterans to tighten the reins on the talented, free-styling wideout.

"He thinks it's OK," Sapp said. "Whatever the head of the unit is, whether it's Miles Austin, (Jason) Witten, (Tony) Romo. Somebody's got to pull it. Somebody's got to pull the yoke in his mouth and say, 'Hey son, this isn't how we do it.'"

Sapp reflected back on the fragile nature of the NFL locker room: "It's a brotherhood of men. You must sacrifice something for the good of everybody. No one man makes this thing go. But one man will stop it."

Not historically known as a friend of the signal-caller, Sapp acknowledged that we saw a new brand of Tony Romo emerge in Sunday's clutch performance against the 49ers. If Romo failed to win over his detractors outside the team's circle -- there's no question what his play did inside.

"The simple fact that he's even going with a punctured lung, are you kidding me?" Sapp said. "With a broke rib, that hurts to breath. Are you kidding me? Being able to call plays, and run, and exert himself -- nah, I'm rallying around my quarterback.

"It goes a long way in the locker room, because only the players on the field know what it's like to play with an injury like that. And if you have ever been around anybody with any kind of rib -- or something that's cracked -- oh, my goodness, you have to take your hat off to the man. He went out and made plays. ... When you make plays under that type of situation, you get two checks in my book."