WR Martavis Bryant reportedly facing one-year NFL ban

Bill Wippert/AP

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant has reportedly already appealed his ban.

Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant is reportedly facing a one-year suspension for a violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

The news surfaced Saturday. According to several reports, Bryant, 24, has already filed an appeal to the suspension. The NFL declined to comment on the situation. DKPittsburghSports.com was the first to report the news.

This is the latest issue for Bryant, who has emerged as one of the league’s most dangerous receivers, but continues to struggle to stay out of trouble.

2016 NFL FREE AGENT TRACKER: FOLLOW THE FRENZY HERE!

Bryant was a key cog for the Steelers offense last season, piling up 50 catches for 765 yards and six touchdowns during the regular season, then adding a circus touchdown catch to help Pittsburgh beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC wild card playoffs.

Gary Landers/AP

Martavis Bryant makes circus catch to help oust the Bengals from the playoffs.

But this is the second straight offseason in which the talented receiver finds himself in trouble with the league. He drew a season-opening four-game suspension in 2015, also for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. Bryant also appealed that charge, although the suspension was ultimately upheld.

When he returned, he reportedly said he had “learned” from the experience. So much for that.

It is because this is Bryant’s second offense that he now faces the possibility of a one-year ban. The league has shown leniency in such second offenses, though; Browns receiver Josh Gordon initially drew a full-season ban in 2014 for his second violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, but he had that cut to 10 games on appeal. He was then suspended for all of 2015 after his third such violation.

The loss of Bryant would be an instant blow to the NFL’s third-most prolific offense (395.4 total yards per game), but it would not be crippling. The club re-signed receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey on the eve of free agency on Tuesday, and while the veteran had just 21 catches last season, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger seemed to trust him in key spots. Sammie Coates, a 2015 third-round pick out of Auburn, remains a top prospect.

Football Rss Article only

Related Posts

• Terry signs one-year Chelsea deal
• Terry offered one-year Chelsea deal
• Kobe Bryant wins his final game with the LA Lakers