Martavis Bryant puts past away, focused on positives in Raiders return

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ALAMEDA – Martavis Bryant hadn’t spoken publicly since April 27, a day after the Raiders traded a third-round pick to Pittsburgh for the receiver’s rights.

A lot has been said about him since. Reports of a looming suspension have popped up for months, though the NFL has not taken formal action against him as a repeat offender of the substance abuse policy.

Raider head coach Jon Gruden had some unflattering things to say. He first criticized Bryant’s ability to learn a new system and play multiple receiver positions. Then Bryant was dubbed the “white tiger,” as a majestic specimen that few actually see. That was a dig at Bryant’s availability after he missed several practices with migraines.

Then Bryant got cut on Sept. 1, supposedly for losing a position battle to Keon Hatcher. He was re-signed 10 days later, assuming Hatcher’s spot on the roster.

It hasn’t been an easy stretch for Bryant, but the dynamic receiver says he as taken it all in stride and is simply happy to be back in the Silver and Black.

“I don’t think too much about the negative aspects,” Bryant said Thursday. “This is just another thing I’m going through in my career. I’ve been in the league five years now, and I haven’t had an (established) career.

“I’ve made my mistakes when I was at a younger age and I’ve learned from that. I can’t get overly down on myself. I beat myself up the first time I got suspended, but I’ve been through this before and I know how to stay focused and fight through it.”

Bryant has been suspended twice before, including the entire 2016 season. He stayed away from football during those suspensions, and took a similar tact after the Raiders cut him.

“I took care of things I could control, which was keeping my body in shape and making sure I put myself in the right situations to properly handle my business on and off the field,” Bryant said. “I spent time with my family and my kid. My son is getting older, so that time if valuable.”

He didn’t watch Monday night’s 33-13 loss to the L.A. Rams. He didn’t find it beneficial.

“When I got suspended two years ago, I told the guys that, once I’m away from football, I try to remove myself from it so I don’t get distracted or overly frustrated and end up doing something stupid,” Bryant said. “I stay away from it.”

He’s back now, with his mother, grandmother and godmother to lean on now that he’s employed again.

Bryant insists he wasn’t worried about his name being brought up in relation to a possible suspension. The league conducts their investigation and adjudication process in private, so there’s no telling if punitive action is coming down the pike.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Bryant said. “I don’t have control over that. I don’t really want to discuss that right now.”

Bryant says he wasn’t offended by Gruden’s comments, and believes the coach will help extract great talent on game days.

“I feel like he’s issuing a challenge to become the best person I can be,” Bryant said. “I don’t take comments in a negative way. I take it as motivation. He wants me to be the best player, and I thank him for that. You need tough to be the best. I have a lot of work to do, and he’s going to continue to push me.”

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