Know your role and shut your mouth.

That seems to be the attitude that many former NFL players-turned-TV analysts have taken to Cowboys rookie WR Dez Bryant, who refused to carry Roy Williams’ shoulder pads after Sunday’s practice. Even though Williams later downplayed Bryant’s refusal to participate in the rookie hazing ritual (a minor one, at that), you can still count NFL Network’s Marshall Faulk among those ex-players perturbed by the rookie’s defiance.

“When I look at what Dez Bryant did, it’s just disrespecting the tradition and kind of questioning the leadership of the Dallas Cowboys,” Faulk said.

You see, it’s not about the actual act of carrying the pads; it’s about the principle. Even veteran LB Keith Bulluck, who just signed with the Giants and has been around the block, wonders what Bryant’s problem is.

“It could be the fact that they may be giving him star treatment already down there,” Bulluck said. “He’s wearing Playmaker’s (Michael Irvin’s) number; that’s a big thing in itself. … It’ll tell a lot about the Dallas Cowboys as a team to see how they handle that, their No. 1 draft pick acting the way he’s acting, being defiant.”

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