Mike Tomlin said suspended wide receiver Martavis Bryant has issues bigger than football that need to be addressed. The coach confirmed Tuesday that the Steelers were aware of his impending four-game suspension for some time, which was reflected in their personnel decisions earlier this year.
A team source told the Post-Gazette on Monday that the Steelers drafted wide receiver Sammie Coates in the third round this year because of their knowledge that Bryant would be suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
“We’ve known about the possibility for some time,” Tomlin said of Bryant’s suspension. “In a lot of ways it directed our course of action in the offseason, specifically the drafting of Sammie Coates.”
Tomlin reiterated similar sentiment expressed by general manager Kevin Colbert a day earlier about Bryant’s suspension.
“We are disappointed that it has come to this but while we’re disappointed, we’re going to remain supportive,” Tomlin said.
Under NFL guidelines, Bryant will be permitted to take part in team meetings and can work out at the facility during his suspension, but he is not allowed to practice or even watch practice. Previously, suspended players were not permitted to enter the team’s facility.
But the Steelers have other concerns for Bryant, who had to have failed four drug tests in order to receive a four-game suspension under the current NFL collective bargaining agreement, which was changed in September 2014 to deal with the issue of marijuana. If he would test positive again, he would face a 10-game suspension.
“He’s got issues he’s dealing with that are bigger than football and we’re committed to assisting the man in that,” Tomlin said.
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