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Most fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers haven't thought much about suspended wide receiver Martavis Bryant much. After all, he is suspended for the 2016 season and the team is gearing up for the start of the regular season in a few weeks. However, Bryant's name was injected into social media today as he and ESPN's First Take co-host Stephen A. Smith got into a war of words on Twitter.
The entire rift between the two stemmed from Smith's comments on the First Take show in regarding Bryant working with high school wide receivers in his time away from the NFL. You can see his comments below:
What's @ThaBestUNO gonna teach these high schoolers? @stephenasmith https://t.co/15u5I05z4r
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 29, 2016
Anyone who knows Stephen A. Smith for his time on ESPN, or on the radio, knows he doesn't pull punches. He says what he thinks, and it can ruffle feathers. Which is what it did when Bryant responded to his tweet publicly.
@FirstTake @stephenasmith this is coming from someone who never put on a helmet ...:.. We will see who gets the last laugh it ain't over!
— Martavis Bryant (@ThaBestUNO) August 22, 2016
This initiated a back-and-forth between the two which got rather heated...
My man @ThaBestUNO, don't come at me like I'm AGAINST you! I am FOR you. But you messed up. And you may cost you team. Period! @FirstTake
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) August 22, 2016
That's on you bro, @ThaBestUNO. Not me. And I'm a @steelers fan. A Mike Tomlin fan. So ain't a damn person laughing this way.@FirstTake
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) August 22, 2016
The interaction stopped there, but Bryant still was very open about not being a fan of Smith's opinion.
One thing about me is I never cared about people who judge me based off my mistakes
— Martavis Bryant (@ThaBestUNO) August 22, 2016
Especially someone who judges you and bash you every chance they get even when you are making life changes I have no respect for that dude.
— Martavis Bryant (@ThaBestUNO) August 22, 2016
In the grand scheme of things, this is all background noise in the 2016 preseason. However, it is the first time anyone has heard from Bryant since his suspension -- even on social media. Bryant is preparing for a season of his own, as a coach, while his actual teammates will begin their journey for a 7th Lombardi trophy here in a few weeks.