Talented NFL wide receiver Martavis Bryant was officially reinstated by the league last week. The NFL had suspended Bryant since December 2018, and he has not played in a game since. With the near five-year hiatus in the rearview for the WR, the talented pass catcher has begun to garner immediate attention for his services.
The latest report is that Bryant will work out for the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday. With an open spot on their practice squad and a chance to add an intriguing prospect for little money, it could be a perfect scenario for both the team and the player.
While the suspension is behind him, and he may be getting another shot at the NFL, it was a long road to get here for Bryant. Let’s take a look at just who he is and the road that led him to Tuesday’s reported workout with Amercia’s Team.
Who Is Martavis Bryant?
Bryant was born in Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, and attended two high schools during his time in his hometown. Bryant first attended Calhoun Falls High School before transferring to T. L. Hanna High School in Anderson, South Carolina prior to his senior year due to his previous school shutting down due to small enrollment.
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Bryant was a four-star recruit out of high school and was ranked as the 10th-best wide receiver in the country for his class. Bryant decided to commit to Clemson University to continue his football career.
Bryant’s Time at Clemson
Bryant had a limited impact during his freshman season due to the abundance of talent in the room with him. He finished the season with nine receptions, 220 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
In his sophomore season, his role increased a little bit as he led the nation in yards per reception with 30.5, but his overall production was not all that different in his second year compared to his first as he finished with 10 receptions, 305 receiving yards, and four touchdowns.
His junior season was far more productive as he became a more involved part of the offense plan and saw career highs in all categories as he finished his third season with 42 receptions, 828 receiving yards, and seven TDs.
Bryant declared for the NFL Draft after his third season, opting to waive his fourth year of college eligibility to pursue an NFL career.
Bryant’s Time in The NFL
After foregoing his final season at Clemson, Bryant was selected in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Things were rocky for Bryant right out of the gate, as he was inactive for the first six weeks of the season. Partly due to injury but also due to the fact that his coaches did not feel he was ready to contribute at the NFL level yet.
However, when Bryant was given the chance, he seemed to make the most of it. His first NFL reception went for a 35-yard touchdown, and he finished with five touchdowns in his first three games, which is an NFL record. Bryant finished his rookie year with 26 receptions for 549 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games.
His second season, however, was the beginning of the downfall for Bryant. Bryant was suspended for the first four games due to violating the league’s substance abuse policy, followed by being suspended for the entirety of the next season for the same offense.
Bryant was reinstated ahead of the 2017 season, and while he was not suspended by the league during the season, he spent much of the year displeased with his usage in the offense and at one time requested a trade which the team did not grant during that year.
However, that offseason, Bryant was traded like he asked to be and was to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick. However, his tenure was short-lived, and he only played in eight games with the team before the NFL suspended Bryant indefinitely for violating the terms of his conditional reinstatement.
From there, Bryant would not play another NFL down and bounced around in the CFL and arena football leagues and was drafted by the Vegas Vipers of the XFL in 2023, as he continued to try and play professional football.
Now, Bryant has been reinstated by the league and has a chance to join the Cowboys this week if all goes well with his meeting and workout with the team.
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