Martavis Bryant has created a headache for a Pittsburgh Steelers team that is 5-2 and could be the best in the AFC, but the wide receiver insists he is not trying to be selfish.
After he initially mocked a report that claimed he wanted to be traded, Bryant has decided to change his stance. The 25-year-old openly admitted that he wants to be dealt while speaking with ESPN’s Josina Anderson on Tuesday morning, though he insists he is not being “selfish.”
#Steelers WR Martavis Bryant to me: "If they don’t try to include me more and continue to do the same thing, then I want out period." [Cont]
— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 24, 2017
#Steelers WR Martavis Bryant to me: "I just want to be happy..I would like for it to be here, but if not then oh well. Just got to move on."
— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 24, 2017
#Steelers Martavis Bryant to me: "I’m not being selfish, it’s just I want to help contribute & I want to be the best player that I can be."
— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 24, 2017
Martavis Bryant to me/if team refuses to trade: "Then so be it, I’m not going to re-sign..I’ll just play next year out. I’m not tripping."
— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 24, 2017
Bryant can’t have it both ways. It doesn’t get more selfish than becoming a distraction on a winning team that isn’t getting you the ball enough to keep you satisfied. Bryant has also created tension among his teammates by criticizing one of them in an Instagram comment.
The Steelers reportedly do not intend to discipline or trade Bryant despite him missing a team meeting on Monday, but you have to wonder when they will have had enough. Unless they plan on changing their offense to fulfill Bryant’s demands, the drama the receiver is creating may become too much to handle.
Bryant has been suspended multiple times for positive drug tests, so Pittsburgh probably won’t get anything for him in a trade. An outright release isn’t out of the question at this point.
