Welp, this surely isn’t the off-season news the Pittsburgh Steelers faithful were hoping for…
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that stud wide receiver Martavis Bryant has again violated the NFL’s substance abuse policy, and as we’ve seen before with Josh Gordon, the penalties for it are harsh.
#Steelers WR Martavis Bryant facing a year-long suspension for violating @NFL substance abuse policy, per source (@Dejan_Kovacevic was 1st)
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2016
Here’s Rap’s source:
EXCLUSIVE to https://t.co/AwWWaskDX9: MARTAVIS BRYANT FACING SEASON-LONG @NFL SUSPENSION https://t.co/tE160rQVip pic.twitter.com/hpEntGihMW
— Dejan Kovacevic (@Dejan_Kovacevic) March 12, 2016
“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.
Tom Santanello, Bryant’s agent, confirmed the suspension, but declined to comment.
There’s no word on when the failed tests occurred. One of the sources said he believes it was during these past playoffs, but that’s not confirmed.
Bryant, 24, was suspended by the NFL for four games for multiple violations involving marijuana usage. He underwent three weeks of counseling in Houston, rejoined the Steelers in midseason, apologized to his teammates in the locker room in what by all accounts was an emotional session and returned to action.
Stuff of Big Ben’s nightmare.