Dez Bryant threatens Cowboys he'll sit out NFL games if he doesn't get a new deal

Dez Bryant is not messing around with his threats to the Dallas Cowboys. Earlier on Monday, a report from ESPN's Ed Werder stated Bryant called the team's executive vice president, Stephen Jones, to let him know he'll be holding out if no long-term deal is reached by this Wednesday, July 15. Jones originally denied the report, per Werder, but now Bryant is confirming it himself:

As much as I love football...on my beautiful babies.. I apologize #cowboynation but I will not be there if no deal #fact

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) July 13, 2015

July 15 is the deadline date for franchise players to receive a long-term contract. Otherwise, franchise players will be forced to play out the 2015 season on their one-year, fully guaranteed tender.

Bryant seems serious about holding out of training camp and maybe even actual NFL games. The 26-year-old receiver skipped the Cowboys' spring offseason workouts, including mandatory minicamp.

It remains to be seen if/when a deal will get done. Bryant is such a great talent that the Cowboys can't really afford to be without him. Especially when Dallas travels to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in Week 2.