The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the most dynamic passing attacks in the NFL with Ben Roethlisberger controlling the helm and tossing passes to Antonio Brown, Heath Miller, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant. The Steelers ranked in the top three in the NFL for yards per game average and top five in passing yards.
While Brown and running back LeVeon Bell are the top weapons for ‘Big Ben’, Miller is old reliable and the duo of Wheaton and Bryant are supposed to be the next men up when needed. Now it appears that Bryant could miss the entire 2016 season due to a suspension.
Following from Dejean Kovacevic and Jason Mackey of DKPittsburghSports.com.
Martavis Bryant, the Steelers’ talented but troubled wide receiver, is facing a full-season NFL suspension in 2016 for again violating the league’s substance abuse policy, two sources confirmed to DKPittsburghSports.com this morning and a third this afternoon.
Bryant and his agent, Tom Santanello, have filed an appeal. If the suspension goes through, it would be a shocking, seismic blow to a contending team that’s set a seventh Super Bowl as its goal for next season.
“Per team policy, we’ll have no comment until there’s an announcement from the NFL,” Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said this afternoon.
The NFL rarely announces suspensions or fines. Santanello said the process is “ongoing.”
“It could change tomorrow,” he said. “I can’t really comment on anything right now that’s going on.”
It appears that Bryant’s issues may not be easily fixed. The young receiver is going to check into rehab and seek some assistance for depression.
Following from Tom Pelissero of USA Today.
Facing indefinite banishment for repeat violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant will check into rehab and undergo evaluation for depression issues, one of his agents, Brian Fettner, told USA TODAY Sports.
“We’re all stunned, me included,” Fettner said, shortly after broke news of the ban Saturday. “We clearly miscalculated the issue. His isn’t a party issue. It’s a coping issue and a depression issue, and he’s got to take care of it.”
Fettner had just landed in Florida and planned to discuss three clinic options with Bryant later Saturday, he said. The plan is for Bryant to enter rehab Sunday, Fettner said, though Bryant’s other agent, Tom Santanello, said nothing would happen before Monday as they continue to sort through their appeals options.
Fettner confirmed Bryant is appealing the ban, though getting it overturned is seen as a long shot. It stems from multiple missed drug tests, Fettner said, while also acknowledging Bryant has a problem with marijuana.
The multiple missed tests – which count the same as failed tests – explains why Bryant faces banishment for at least one year, rather than a 10-game suspension for his latest violation after serving a four-game suspension to start last season.
