Steelers

Steelers WR Martavis Bryant Accepts One-Year Suspension, Will Begin Serving It Immediately

March 14, 2016

Update:

The Pittsburgh Steelers officially placed WR Martavis Bryant on the reserve/suspended by Commissioner list.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have released a statement regarding WR Martavis Bryant‘s decision to accept his one-year suspension or violating the NFL substance-abuse policy

We are very disappoint that Martavis Bryant has put himself in this current situation of being suspended by the League. He is at a crossroads of his professional life, and he needs to understand significant changes need to occur in his personal life if he wants to regain his career as a Pittsburgh Steeler. We are hopeful that Martavis will take the necessary steps to develop the discipline in his personal life to be a successful player and a good teammate.

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Aaron Wilson is reporting that Steelers WR Martavis Bryant has accepted his one-year suspension or violating the NFL substance-abuse policy and will begin serving the ban immediately.

Ian Rapoport points out that Bryant will be eligible to apply for reinstatement no sooner than 60 days before the one-year anniversary of his suspension.
According to Jeremy Fowler, Bryant forfeits his $600,000 in salary for the 2016 season.

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Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports that following the news that he’s facing a year-long suspension for violations of the NFLs substance abuse policy, Steelers WR Martavis Bryant will check into rehab and undergo evaluation for depression issues.
We’re all stunned, me included, one Bryant’s agent, Brian Fettner, said on Saturday. We clearly miscalculated the issue. His isnât a party issue. It’s a coping issue and a depression issue, and he’s got to take care of it.

Fettner stressed that he sees this situation as the “biggest cry for help I’ve ever seen.”

This is the biggest cry for help I’ve ever seen. And that hurts. It hurts us to see, Fettner said. He’s 24 years old and he’s got to get right, whatever it is.

If you talk to anybody’s family that has depression, they will be talking about these same things the (despondence), the withdrawal, the head-in-the-sand despair just trying to cope.

Fettner tells Pelissero that he plans to discuss three clinic options with Bryant at some point on Saturday with the intention of Bryant checking into rehab Sunday.

Although, Bryant’s other agent, Tom Santanello, admitted that nothing may happen until Monday.

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Dejan Kovacevic of DKPittsburghSports.com reports that Steelers WR Martavis Bryant is facing a season-long suspension from the NFL.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media has confirmed the report and adds that Bryant’s suspension stems from violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
According to Aaron Wilson, Bryant is currently appealing the suspension.
Wilson confirms that Bryant’s suspension involves more than one new violation, which means an appeal could be difficult.

Bryant was suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season for a substance abuse violation, so this is obviously very concerning from the Steelers stand point.

Bryant, 24, was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He’s currently in the third-year of his four-year, $2.7 million rookie contract and stands to make base salaries of $600,000 and $690,000 over the next two years.

In 2015, Bryant appeared in 11 games for the Steelers and totaled 50 receptions, 765 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 61 receiver out of 121 qualifying players.