Dabo Swinney Explains Why Kelly Bryant Isn't Getting a Clemson National Championship Ring

College football is a something of a major corporation that benefits from free labor, and Dabo Swinney is in the business of being petty.

The Kelly Bryant-Clemson divorce was far from a pretty one, with the now-Missouri quarterback ruffling some feathers on his way out after being benched for once-in-a-generation Trevor Lawrence. Swinney's Tigers rallied around Lawrence to finish the season undefeated, including a resounding win over Alabama in the CFP National Championship.

Still, Bryant led Clemson to the playoff in 2017 and appeared in four games last season, including a road win against Texas A&M, which is why it's somewhat surprising that Swinney announced he will not be giving his former QB a national championship ring.

"He wasn't on the team. You've gotta be on the team to get a ring," Swinney told ESPN. "I love Kelly and appreciate what he did for us, but he decided to move on."

This comment rings hollow when you consider the likelihood that certain boosters and coaches, some of whom contributed less on the field than Bryant, will receive rings. Yet, Swinney didn't get this far by doing favors, so maybe we shouldn't be surprised. He allowed Bryant to transfer to a school of his choosing and even took the high road when the 22-year-old called being replaced by Lawrence a "slap in the face."

Dabo has every right to withhold a ring and further separate the Tigers' success from those who willingly choose to leave. Bryant couldn't handle being a backup, and chose a path quite opposite of, say, Jalen Hurts at Alabama, who toughed it out as a reserve for a full season before opting to transfer. For now, it's come back to bite him, fair or not.