The disgruntled Steelers receiver confirms that he wants out of Pittsburgh.
Over the course of the last few weeks, Martavis Bryant has been dominating Pittsburgh headlines. The Steelers wide receiver has been upset with his lack of production. In fact, he’s only managed 18 catches since returning from his suspension. Other receivers, such as JuJu Smith-Schuster, have integrated themselves into the offense lately. Therefore, rumors of Bryant wanting out of Pittsburgh have emerged.
ESPN’s Josina Anderson spoke with Bryant for a brief period of time earlier in the week. Bryant explained his situation in detail to Anderson and confirmed reports. Furthermore, the 25-year-old says that he would prefer to be traded. Ultimately if he fails to receive the desired trade, he will play out his contract and see what happens next.
This comes just one day after he missed mandatory meetings when he called in sick. Bryant’s frustration is not only justified, it’s evident. In an offense that carries weapons such as Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, it’s easy to see how one would get frustrated with a lack of targets. Bryant hasn’t handled the situation as he should have thus far. He’s made excuses for skipping and even lashed out against teammates via social media. However, he plans to change that. If he plans to play out his contract, he can’t tank his value.
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In the near future, Bryant claimed that he will speak with his head coach, Mike Tomlin, about the issue. These last few weeks have proven difficult for the receiver, but he still claims that he and his coach have a great relationship. Bryant loves the city of Pittsburgh and his teammates, but he wants an opportunity to shine on his own, not lurk in the shadows of other stars around him.