Did Bryant Really Fail 4 Drug Tests?

Good morning,

Now we know why the Steelers drafted receiver Sammie Coates in the third round this year. They had to know that Martavis Bryant was on the verge of a suspension for what was reported by NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport as repeated failed drug tests for marijuana.

What is interesting about this is the new NFL drug policy passed last September liberalized the discipline meted out for marijuana use.

Here is what it is:

--- First positive test puts the player in the substance abuse program with no other discipline.

--- Second positive draws a two-game fine.

--- Third positive draws a four-game fine.

--- Fourth positive draws a four-game suspension.

Therefore, for the NFL to suspend Bryant, he had to test positive for marijuana on four separate occasions. This also would not have been the old “second-hand” marijuana smoke either because the threshold for a positive test of marijuana in the system was more than doubled by the NFL in its new drug policy.

Bryant isn’t the only one who has failed multiple tests. New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson also was suspended this year for four games for marijuana use.

We do not know when Bryant failed all these tests. He had to have failed one last summer and gone into the system because otherwise he would not have been tested once preseason games started.

So he may have been playing his rookie season for a lot less money because since the NFL has now suspended him for four games, the other steps would have included fines of six weeks pay. Perhaps that is why the Steelers did not dress him for the first six games of the season.

He will lose another four games this season of pay this season as well as play for the first time, pending his appeal that is reportedly going on.

His next positive test would draw a 10-game suspension.

Now we know why the Steelers drafted receiver Sammie Coates in the third round.

---

Ben Roethlisberger offered a sensible solution to the debate about what to do with the four-game preseason that no one seems to like:

Don’t play the vets or starters much at all.

“I think it depends on how long you have been playing,’’ Roethlisberger said. “when you have rookies, you probably want to get them as much time as you can. Like I said, maybe the owners – or coaches, I should say – should say you’re going to play one half of one game and one half of another and call it quits.’’

That is pretty much how Mike Tomlin has used Roethlisberger and many of his veteran starters in the preseason. The quarterback and most key vets did not play at all in the bonus first game at Canton. The key players on offense were in for six snaps in the second game. They played only one series into the second quarter in the third game last Sunday.

Roethlisberger predicted they will play the entire first half or even a little into the second in Buffalo. But when I asked him if he and his offense really needed all that work, he said, “I don’t think so.’’

“I think we’ve shown enough and worked hard. The good thing is that our offense has everybody back. So, we can get that work and pick up where we left off in training camp.’’