Martavis Bryant faces year-long suspension, plans to appeal ban
— -- Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant is facing a year-long suspension from the NFL, his agent confirmed to ESPN.
The suspension is related to NFL drug testing, a source told ESPN. Bryant's agent, Tom Santanello, confirmed Saturday that the talented receiver plans to appeal the suspension.
DKPittsburghSports.com was first to report the potential suspension Saturday morning.
"Until there's something official from the NFL, we won't be commenting," Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said.
Bryant served a four-game suspension last season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He returned to have a productive season for the Steelers, hauling in 50 receptions for 765 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games.
Pittsburgh's decision to sign receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey to a three-year extension was a direct result of Bryant's potential absence in 2016, a source told ESPN. The Steelers likely would have re-signed Heyward-Bey, but probably not for three years. Pittsburgh also signed tight end Ladarius Green to a four-year, $20-million deal.
The Steelers knew Bryant had character concerns coming out of Clemson in the 2014 draft, so they took a calculated risk on him with a fourth-round pick.
On the field, Bryant has rewarded the Steelers for that faith by averaging nearly one touchdown per game. But he's got to stay on the field, which has been a recurring problem.
Bryant, who was spending part of his offseason in Los Angeles, is due $600,000 in 2016 salary. If the suspension holds, the Steelers would get salary cap relief by washing that salary off their books. Bryant enters the third year of a four-year rookie contract in 2016.
The low salary could give the Steelers incentive to keep him on the team and give him another chance to turn his life around.
Upon returning from his suspension last October, Bryant thanked the Steelers for their support and said he "learned" from his mistake and wanted to "move on from it and put it in the past." Bryant also said he had spent time with former NBA player and coach John Lucas, who operates a substance abuse recovery facility in Texas.
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