Dallas Cowboys training camp without fanfare

I've been doing the same things. It's just that more people are paying attention now,'' Austin said Sunday, trying to convince reporters and cameras surrounding him that he feels no different from when people didn't even notice him less than a year ago. "I've got the star on my helmet. But that's about it.''

Yet, Austin no longer comes on the field at Dallas Cowboys training camp without fanfare. There are plenty of cheers when he emerges from the tunnel and catches passes from Tony Romo.

The New Jersey native gets recognized in public now and certainly gets photographed when he keeps certain company - though Austin and Kardashian, the reality TV star who is Reggie Bush's former girlfriend, are coy about whether they are actually dating.

"It's like taking somebody working at The Container Store in the closet and now he's the American Idol,'' teammate Bradie James said. "That's only in America and only on America's Team that you can do that. ... Miles is still levelheaded. Miles is still the same guy. People like him now, more people.''

Going into his fifth NFL season, the former undrafted DeMarcus Ware receiver from tiny Monmouth College is no longer primarily a kick returner who occasionally gets a pass thrown his way.

Austin has emerged as Romo's favorite target, and a problem for defensive coordinators league-wide. Plus, he's in line for a big new contract.

The 26-year-old Austin signed a $3.168 million contract in June, but owner Jerry Jones repeatedly has said the Cowboys want to sign the receiver to a long-term deal.

So much has changed since he got his first NFL start last October at Kansas City, filling in for injured Roy Williams. He finished with 10 catches for 250 yards against the Chiefs to break the team's single-game yardage record set by Hall of Fame receiver "Bullet Bob'' Hayes in 1966. He also had two late touchdowns, including a 60-yarder in overtime.

It was quite a breakout performance for Austin, who entered with 23 career catches, including five in the first four games last season.

His encore was six catches for 171 yards and two more TDs in Dallas' next game. He went on to finish with 81 catches for 1,320 yards, sixth-best in team history and the sixth-best by any undrafted receiver ever in the NFL.


new Dallas Cowboys jerseys rookie receiver Dez Bryant said he is in training camp to catch passes, not carry somebody else's shoulder pads after practice.

When receiver Roy Williams handed his pads to Bryant on Sunday after the team's first camp session in pads, the rookie who was the Cowboy's first-round draft pick last April didn't carry them. Veteran players traditionally hand their pads to a rookie after practice.

"I feel like I was drafted to play football, not carry another player's pads," Bryant said. "If I was a free agent, it would still be the same thing."

Williams said every rookie has go to through such rituals during their first season. He said he carried pads and paid for meals when he was a rookie for the Detroit Lions in 2004.

"No matter if you're a No. 1 pick or the 7,000th pick, you've still got to Marion Barber do something when you're a rookie," Williams said.

When Bill Parcells was still with the Cowboys, the team's top pick was responsible for taking water to the coach during breaks at training camp. Current coach Wade Phillips doesn't have such a requirement.

While there are some who believe Bryant could challenge Williams for the starting job opposite Pro Bowl receiver Miles Austin, there have been no apparent issues between the receivers.