Posted at 11:07 a.m., Friday, March 2, 2007
49ers waive leading wide receiver Antonio Bryant
Advertiser Staff
The San Francisco 49ers waived wide receiver Antonio Bryant yesterday, just one season after signing him to a lucrative four-year, free-agent contract."After an evaluation period we determined that Antonio was not the best fit for the 49ers," head coach Mike Nolan said on the 49ers Web site. "I appreciated his work ethic this past year and wish him the best on his next endeavor."
Bryant caught 40 passes for a team-leading 733 yards last season, but repeatedly ran afoul of coach Nolan's disciplinary standards.
Bryant was arrested in November after a wild escapade in his orange Lamborghini, and he later angered Nolan for being late to a team meeting. Bryant ended last season midway through a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.
Bryant signed with the 49ers as an unrestricted free agent from the Cleveland Browns last March.
The 6-foot-2, 188-pound Bryant is a five-year NFL veteran who has played with Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns prior to joining the 49ers.. Bryant was originally a second-round draft pick by Dallas in 2002 out of Pittsburgh. He was traded by Dallas to Cleveland for WR Quincy Morgan on October 19, 2004.
