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Dunlap: Martavis Should Never Play For Steelers Again

Martavis Bryant looked great in a Steelers uniform.

But he should never wear one again.

Martavis Bryant did some masterful things in a Steelers uniform.

But he simply isn't worth the risk anymore.

Martavis Bryant dazzled, astonished and overwhelmed at times in that Steelers uniform.

He also was the kind of guy --- for me at least --- who made me hold my breath from Monday until right up until kickoff on Sunday wondering if he would do something knuckleheaded to find himself suspended.

Bryant effectively used strikes five and six as it pertains to the NFL substance abuse policy to get himself suspended for a year.

When you sit down and think about that for a moment, that's kind of unfathomable. That's nothing but thinking you're above the rules. I don't care how you want to excuse it away.

This time to get suspended --- which is the second suspension in six months for the receiver --- he reportedly didn't show up for a pair of drug tests.

Again, that's a false sense of entitlement, thinking you're above all the rules and an unwillingness to accept reality --- nothing more and nothing less.

Don't give me any other excuses because, frankly, I'm not buying any of those.

And in the long run, no matter his unbelievable talents or the fact that when he's on the field the Steelers score about a touchdown more a game, the organization should have no choice but to send him out of Pittsburgh sooner rather than later.

On Monday afternoon, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert issued the following statement:

"We are very disappointed that Martavis Bryant has put himself in this current situation of being suspended by the League. He is at a crossroads of his professional life, and he needs to understand significant changes need to occur in his personal life if he wants to regain his career as a Pittsburgh Steeler. We are hopeful that Martavis will take the necessary steps to develop the discipline in his personal life to become a successful player and a good teammate."

Read that statement again if you must. Actually, I implore you to do so.

No place in it does Colbert say that Bryant has "a problem."

Not one word talks about Bryant being addicted to anything.

It doesn't talk about depression, something beyond his control or a factor that is out of the grasp of choice for Bryant.

Instead, what Colbert says --- through a statement --- is that Bryant needs to develop discipline.

I don't know about you, but when I read that, it screams to me that Bryant (again) failed to willingly and of his own accord make the right decision.

What is this? The third time he's done so? The fifth? The ninth? The 17th?

It's a bunch, I know that, even if we've lost track of the exact number he's screwed up.

It is also enough.

At some point enough is enough and we are at that point.

So go ahead and let Martavis Bryant serve that one-year suspension as a member of the organization if you must. But after that, he must be jettisoned as soon as possible.

The guy has had (more than) enough chances; let him be someone else's problem.

Colin Dunlap is a featured columnist at CBSPittsburgh.com. He can also be heard weekdays from 5:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sports Radio 93-7 "The Fan." You can e-mail him at colin.dunlap@cbsradio.com. Check out his bio here.

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