Pittsburgh Steelers WR Martavis Bryant meets NFL officials, close to being reinstated

Wide receiver Martavis Bryant of the Pittsburgh Steelers moved one step closer to being reinstated by the NFL after being suspended for the 2016 season because of violations of the league's substance-abuse policy.

Bryant met Thursday with the NFL's Management Council in New York as part of his efforts for reinstatement, Alex Marvez of Sporting News reported on Saturday.

Among the conditions for being cleared to play again, Bryant was told to assemble a plan detailing safeguards that would help him prevent a relapse upon returning to Pittsburgh, according to the report.

Bryant eventually will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell or one of his representatives once the league's medical director and medical advisor submit their recommendation about reinstatement.

The NFL suspended Bryant in March 2016 for at least a year after he failed multiple drug tests. The NFL accepts applications no sooner than 60 days before the one-year anniversary of a suspension.

Bryant applied for reinstatement in January.

Bryant, 25, also was suspended for the first four games of the 2015 regular season because of violations of the same policy.

Bryant, a fourth-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2014, caught 50 passes for 765 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games during the 2015 season. He has 76 catches for 1,314 yards and 14 touchdowns in 21 regular-season NFL games in his career.

Bryant posted a photo Friday of Steelers chairman and owner Dan Rooney, who died Thursday at age 84, with a message: "RIP Mr. Rooney may God be with his family."