Dez Bryant insists he not only realizes the time has come for him to personally be more accountable but even serve as a role model to some of his younger Dallas Cowboys teammates.

Bryant, who has had more than his share of recent off-field drama, insists that phase of his life is now over and he looks forward to the prospect of being held to a higher standard.

"I view myself differently," Bryant told USA TODAY Sports. "I feel like I have to be on top of my game. I look at myself of a co-leader of this team, so I have to make sure my stuff is right, to make sure everybody else is right. I feel like the role that I'm playing – you have to be mature and you have to be accountable, and you have to hold other guys accountable too."

Thus far, Bryant’s teammates seem more than open to following his lead. "He's the man," receiver Miles Austin said. "He's the man. Great teammate. Nothing but good things to say about him."

Bryant suffered what some might term a slight setback earlier this month when a self-described “NBA/NFL groupie” took to Twitter to post a series of sexually charged tweets about him online.

In a string of screen caps she attributed to a bevy of athletes and other celebrities she has allegedly been sexually involved with, the woman claims Bryant is into such sexual practices as urination and using strap-ons.

Bryant immediately claimed the texts attributed to him were frauds and said he was considering suing the woman. At one point on a Twitter page attributed to him someone posted the message “Whoever (sic) behind this account be prepared to be sued. I already got the NFLPA on it.”

Among the other pro athletes mentioned on her hit list were Kyrie Irving, Paul Pierce, Richard Sherman, Eddie Lacy and Devin Thomas. Amid Bryant’s threat of legal action, the woman has since deleted her profile.