Martavis Bryant Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Former Steelers star reinstated by Roger Goodell, eligible to return to NFL

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 11/4/23

The NFL has officially reinstated wide receiver Martavis Bryant, making him eligible to return to the NFL if he can find a team willing to take a chance on him.

Veteran WR Martavis Bryant, who last played in the NFL in 2018, has been reinstated by Commissioner Roger Goodell and is drawing interest from teams, per his agent James Peterson.

Bryant, 31, has been training for a comeback and played in the XFL last summer. pic.twitter.com/2jDHNCiN6e
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 4, 2023

Bryant entered the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2014 season and looked to be an emerging superstar due to his big-play potential. Unfortunately, he continued to have issues with the league's substance abuse policy and ended up getting hit with multiple suspensions.

He missed the entire 2016 season due to a suspension, and was then suspended indefinitely during the 2018 season -- his last season in the NFL -- when he was a member of the Oakland Raiders. He has remained ineligible to play in the league ever since then.

Bryant has spent the past few years playing in the CFL, the Fan Controlled Football League and the XFL.

He is 32 years old and given that it has been five years since he last played in the NFL a team giving him a look seems like a long shot.

That said, stranger things have happened. When Bryant started his career he looked like one of the best young wide receivers in the league, compiling an incredible highlight reel of plays.

Prior to his latest suspension he had caught 145 passes for 2,183 yards and 17 touchdown passes in 44 regular season games with the Steelers and Raiders.

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