May 23, 2017 3 min read

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When Martavis Bryant returned from a four-game suspension for violation of the substance abuse policy in 2015, he said some of the right things. But he also was standoffish regarding some of the questioning at that time.

He looked nervous answering questions from the media in 2015. His body language – in retrospect – told the real story.

Bryant wasn’t ready, at that time, to admit he had a problem.

Fast forward to Tuesday afternoon at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, the day Bryant returned to the field for the first time since serving a year-long suspension.

He looked questioners in the eye. His body language was confident. He was remorseful, yet not overly so.

Bryant said he is a changed man. He said he’s gone through the rehab process and has grown up, in part thanks to the birth of a son seven weeks ago.

And you know what? This time he was much more believable.

Does that mean Bryant won’t slip up again at some point? Only he knows the answer to that.

But he’s been regularly tested two or three times per week for the past eight or nine months. And he’s come back clean each and every time. And he did so while living in Las Vegas.

Many people go to Las Vegas to get away from their problems for a while. Bryant went to Las Vegas and apparently found himself.

He’s got plenty of reasons to get it right this time – the most notable being the birth of his son.

Bryant has lost more money – nearly $900,000 in salary – over the past two seasons than he has made in his career.

He’s not, as some people would suggest, a millionaire, spoiled athlete.

He hasn’t even made a million dollars in his career.

What Bryant is now is a highly motivated, very special athlete who now has a very big chip on his shoulder.

He’s got a lot to prove, not just to his teammates and fans, but to himself.

Here’s hoping that, for his sake and that of his young son, he really has “grown up,” as he said he has done.

@ Ben Roethlisberger also spoke to reporters for the first time since telling the Steelers he was coming back for the 2017 season.

Roethlisberger said he is all in on this season. Beyond that, he wouldn’t wouldn’t say, stating only that he won’t commit beyond one year at a time.

Some will take that to mean Roethlisberger might not be back in 2018. I don’t see that happening – unless the Steelers, for some reason decide to tear down what is a very good team.

And so long as the Steelers have Roethlisberger, they’re not going to be inclined to start any kind of rebuild.

What do I mean by tearing this team down?

Well, not signing Le’Veon Bell, Ryan Shazier or Stephon Tuitt to long-term deals would be one way.

Losing offensive linemen without capable replacements would be another.

@ After openly talking about retirement, Roethlisberger has to show that he’s still all in with this team as he said.

There’s no reason to believe he won’t be. But with the offensive talent surrounding him, a big season would also go a long way toward proving that.

@ How much are the Steelers buying into what Bryant is saying?

There was no working him back into things. He was practicing with the starters on Tuesday.