There are few people who have come into the National Football League with as much freakish, natural talent as Martavis Bryant. However, the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver has had his share of demons since he left Clemson to enter the professional ranks.
Bryant has dealt with substance abuse his entire career, to the point where he is still facing an indefinite suspension by the league, his third in his brief career. But that won’t stop Bryant from trying to get his career off the ground again, this time in the Canadian Football League.
As of Monday, Bryant recently signed a contract with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.
Yesssir ⚡️
— Toronto Argonauts (@TorontoArgos) January 25, 2021
Martavis Bryant is an Argonaut
» https://t.co/lbm5CXbeOB pic.twitter.com/F3HfDZDiM9
For Bryant, the move is a curious one. Not that he can’t still play football, and not that he won’t be able to produce for the Argonauts, but because of why he is in the CFL. According to the NFL Network, when given the opportunity to file for reinstatement to the NFL prior to the 2020 season, Bryant declined.
Bryant hasn’t played in the NFL since the NFL slapped an indefinite suspension to Bryant in December of 2018 while he was a member of the Raiders. Bryant had already been suspended the entire 2016 season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy as a member of the black and gold. He was also suspended four games during his rookie season in 2014 for a substance-abuse violation.
His latest suspension was for violating the conditional terms of his reinstatement from his previous suspension.
Bryant joins the likes of players like Josh Gordon who are absolutely brimming with potential, but sometimes just can’t get out of their own way off the field. Either way, Bryant is back in football, just not the NFL.
Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they prepare for the new league year, NFL Free Agency and the 2021 NFL Draft.