Cowboys Re-Sign Ex-Star Attempting Comeback From 5-Year NFL Suspension
For a short time, at least, it was an inspiring story of redemption. Martavis Bryant had been out of the NFL for five years because of a suspension stemming from his inability to cope with substance abuse problems. In September, though, he was reinstated by the NFL and was signed to the Dallas Cowboys practice squad in November. He never got back on the field, though, and was released by the Cowboys early this month.
That was a bummer for those rooting for the 32-year-old Bryant to see his comeback through. But the story took a positive turn this week when, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Bryant signed a Reserve/Future contract, meaning he will be back with the Cowboys in training camp.
From Gehlken’s Twitter/X account: “WR Martavis Bryant made a lasting impression on the Cowboys: He is expected to sign a Reserve/Future contract Wednesday, a person familiar with situation said. Bryant spent several weeks on practice squad before team released him Jan. 4 in a numbers crunch.”
The Cowboys will likely see wide receiver Martavis Bryant sign a Reserve/Future contract on Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Bryant left a lasting impact. Before the organization dismissed Bryant on January 4 due to a shortage of players, he was on the practice squad for a few weeks.
Bryant talked about his desire to rejoin the NFL following his fall from grace in December 2018, when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ultimately suspended him indefinitely, when he arrived in Dallas in November. Prior to that, he had a history of drug abuse-related bans, including ones that lasted the whole 2016 season while he was in Pittsburgh.
After being selected by the Steelers in the fourth round out of Clemson in 2014, Bryant made an impression as a rookie in Pittsburgh, averaging 21.1 yards per grab and scoring eight touchdowns on just 26 receptions. Despite his potential as a star, he consistently avoided the league’s drug tests. The Packers finally sent Bryant to the Raiders prior to his suspension because they were sick of his lack of consistency.
In order for Bryant to rejoin the NFL, he had to first decide whether or not he wanted to return to football and then work on his sobriety.
“I went through a lot in those years I didn’t play ball, you know,” he said in November. “Getting down on myself, wanting to give up on football, but at the end of the day, I had to look myself in the mirror, face my own demons and get myself together.”
Cowboys’ Martavis Bryant Went to ‘Dark Places’
Bryant was asked where the suspension took him in the past five years.
“To some really dark places and times, man, some places you can’t even imagine,” he remarked. You know, I really don’t want to talk about it since I had to put in a lot of effort to get through those times. But for me, it was a difficult period.
There was more hard work to be done once he sobrietized. Bryant returned to football form in the Arena League and the XFL, two minor leagues that fell short of the NFL. Bryant then needed to get permission from Roger Goodell’s NFL administration to make a return. That meant focusing on his recovery and attending a ton of meetings.
Bryant said, “I had to go through a process and do steps to maintain my sobriety.” “Hanging around with my advisor. doing the tasks assigned to me in order to demonstrate my transformation. I’m proud of the effort I put in, guy. To begin with, my experience began with the NFL, where I had to undergo six months of testing, counseling, and fulfilling several requests.
He returned to the league, though, if only as a member of the Cowboys practice squad. But Bryant will have an opportunity to secure a spot on the 53-man roster this summer.
