Martavis Bryant on his NFL return: "It feels great"

Martavis Bryant played in the XFL recently and also had roster stints in the CFL and the Fan-Controlled Football League in his time away from the NFL. (Photo: Raymond Carlin / USATODAY)

by TigerNet Staff - Thu Nov 09 12:35:41 GMT-04:00 2023

Martavis Bryant is back in an NFL facility this week for the first time since 2018.

After being sidelined since then by the NFL for multiple substance abuse violations, Bryant signed with the Dallas Cowboys this week after being reinstated by the league.

"It feels great," Bryant said Wednesday to reporters. "So thankful for the opportunity. It's been a long process for me, but I stayed the course. I didn't give up on myself. I'm very grateful and happy to be here. It's [being back in an NFL team facility] been everything, It's been a long process. I went through a lot over these last years that I haven't been playing football, 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."

Former Clemson receiver and teammate DeAndre Hopkins, who now plays with the Tennessee Titans, helped in the process.

"DeAndre Hopkins was a big part of me getting back into this," Bryant said. "He hit me up, and I went out to Arizona [where Hopkins played for the Cardinals from 2020-2022] and started training with him. He has been with me through this whole process."

So how did Bryant get back in the NFL's good graces?

"I just had a process that I had to follow, steps that I had to do," Bryant said. "Maintaining my sobriety, meeting with my counselor and doing the things that I was supposed to do to show them that I changed. I put the work in, I'm very proud...

"First off, it started with the NFL. I had to go through like six months of testing, meeting with counselors and doing a lot of things that they asked me to do. Then, my agent reached out to all the teams and let them know that I was going to be reinstated soon. Dallas was interested."

When on the field, Bryant was a threat, particularly in his time with the Steelers from 2014-17, where the former fourth-round NFL draft pick averaged 15.2 yards per catch with all 17 of his pro touchdowns in the regular season. He also added three touchdowns and 322 yards in four playoff games in Pittsburgh.

"The sky's the limit for me, man," Bryant said. "I know I'm 31, but still fast, still big [6-foot-4, 211 pounds], still want to play football. I haven't lost anything. [It's] more of a prove-it-point to me. I've got a lot of doubters out there. It's more of me proving to myself that I still got it."