NFL Notebook: Steelers Bench Disgruntled Bryant
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant (10) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict (55) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Cincinnati. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin took a hard line with disgruntled receiver Martavis Bryant, telling him he will not play Sunday, in Detroit, as punishment for his social media use.
Bryant, the Steelers' No. 2 starting receiver after Antonio Brown, worked exclusively with the scout team Wednesday, portraying Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones for the Steelers' first-team offense. "I'm not tripping," he said. "It is what it is."
He said he has no regrets about anything other than it has caused distractions for the team, and people interpreting his comments as criticism of rookie teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster. Bryant complained in a post on Instagram Sunday night that "all they need to do is give me what I want and y'all can have juju and who ever else." He wrote that "Juju is no where near better than me," that "I just want mines" and that he returned from a one-year suspension for violating the NFL's drug policy "with no help and little support."
Bryant insisted Wednesday that he meant no ill will when he suggested he was better than Smith-Schuster. "I feel like I'm better than every receiver or any receiver I played with," Bryant said. "For (JuJu), he feels the same way. (Antonio Brown) feels the same way. Justin Hunter feels the same way. Everybody feels the same way." Bryant and his camp have asked the Steelers to trade him, but Tomlin said that won't happen. Bryant promised to not be any kind of distraction the rest of the year.
"If I'm not traded, I'm going to work my butt off here and whatever happens, happens," Bryant said. "You're not going to hear me complain or nothing no more, I'm just going to be quiet and let everything fall in place."
Kaepernick to address owners? • NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said the league expects to invite Colin Kaepernick to its next meeting between owners and players to discuss social justice initiatives. Lockhart said that the meeting probably will take place next week. The league and players met last week in the wake of backlash concerning player demonstrations during the national anthem. Kaepernick, who began kneeling during the national anthem before the 2016 season, currently is out of the NFL and is taking legal action against it.
Ray set to return • There's a loophole in NFL rules that require players on injured reserve to miss eight weeks. And Shane Ray (Mizzou) is slipping right through it. He returns to the Broncos' starting lineup Monday night, in Kansas City, after missing just six games because of a broken wrist that required surgery. He will miss only six games because the Broncos' open date counted as one week and Week 8 technically ends Sunday.
Coach Vance Joseph said Ray "looked great last week in practice. Obviously, he's not in great football shape but Shane's going to play."