Pittsburgh Steelers’ Martavis Bryant applies for NFL reinstatement

Jan. 17 (UPI) — He won’t be playing for a Super Bowl or even an AFC Championship, but Martavis Bryant is making a bid for a comeback.

The 25-year-old wide receiver applied for reinstatement into the NFL, according to multiple sources.

National Football Post reporter Aaron Wilson disputed the report, saying that agent Tom Santanello told him Bryant plans to apply in the “next few weeks.” The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported in March that Bryant’s suspension was the result of failing six drug tests. Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert has said that the team never considered cutting Bryant.

“He is at a crossroads of his professional life, and he needs to understand significant changes need to occur in his personal life if he wants to regain his career as a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Colbert said in a statement.

Bryant was suspended for a minimum of one year for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He was also suspended for four games in 2015 for violating the same policy.

In July, USA Today reported that Bryant was living in Nevada with his trainer and near his agent. This week the wide receiver told Sports Illustrated that he told his agents that he “didn’t really want to play anymore.”

Another one of his agents, Briant Fettner, told USA Today that Bryant’s drug use was attributed to coping with depression.

Bryant has 1,314 yards and 14 touchdowns on 76 receptions in 21 career contests.