Dallas Cowboys Need To Send A Clear Message To Joseph Randle

By kellyanderson on October 15, 2014

“They said they caught you on tape stealing boxes! What are you trying to do, build a clubhouse?” Smokey from Friday. But seriously, what in the world was Dallas Cowboys reserve running back Joseph Randle thinking? Here is a player who is making close to $500,000 a year and he feels the need to steal underwear and cologne from a department store? We know that the Cowboys franchise is worth $3.2 billion, so Jerry Jones isn’t late on making any payments to his players. And we also know that the Metroplex area hasn’t turned into a wasteland that requires a Robocop to deal with all of the miscreants like the city of Detroit has, so what could possibly motivate him to steal?

Given the past issues that Dez Bryant and Justin Blackmon have had once they got into the NFL, maybe it has something to do with the culture at Oklahoma State, Randle’s alma mater. We are all familiar with Mike Gundy’s tirade where he shouted about being a man, but is he actually taking the time to teach his kids how to be men?

Well thankfully this isn’t the first time that Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett has had to deal with player misconduct. When issues have come up in the past he has handled each delicate situation about as well as can be expected. Just look at the way he handled the Josh Brent situation when he was involved in a drunk driving accident that killed his teammate and good friend Jerry Brown Jr. He, along with the help of the league, dealt out the appropriate punishment for Brent while also making sure that he still had the right support system around him to help him make it through such a difficult situation. He let his team know that while there are consequences for your actions, the Cowboys organization is a family and it is one that will have your back and will support you when needed.

Now keep in mind that Garrett isn’t excusing or making light of the situations his players get themselves into; he is just letting them know that unlike most organizations out there, the Cowboys don’t simply view you as an expendable asset that can be easily replaced at any given time. As long as you show a dedication to your team and your football family, they will continue to be there for you.

This is the exact same approach he needs to take when it comes to Randle. Randle clearly has some issues that he’s dealing with, and as long as he is contrite in his apology and truly sees the error of his ways, then they should give him the appropriate punishment that comes with stealing department store products and welcome him back with open arms while getting him the counseling he needs. However, if this is a sign of the kind of selfish behavior they can continue to expect from him then they should cut him now and send a clear message that no one is above the team and the expectations the organization has for them.

The Cowboys finally have things rolling in the right direction, and the last thing they need is for someone to create a rift in the locker room. Once again it looks as though Garrett will have to go above and beyond to earn his paycheck.

Kelly Anderson is a blogger for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bgipp01 or add him to your network on Google.