Buccaneers running back Doug Martin met with the media on Thursday for the first time since he left the team late last year in the wake of receiving a four-game suspension from the league so he could check into a rehab facility.
Martin called his trip to the facility, which left him out of contact with people on the outside, a “journey of self-development” that ended with him feeling like he has grown as a person.
“It was definitely hard to be away from my friends and family,” Martin said. “I found strength in the people I was with around the time. It was definitely worth it. I definitely turned a negative into a positive and I’m out here and I’m definitely a stronger person because of it.”
Martin has gotten praise from Bucs coaches for his work this offseason even as they have hedged on making any plans for after he has served the final three games of his suspension in September. The suspension wiped out remaining guaranteed money in his contract, leaving the Bucs without a financial downside to moving on from Martin in the event they don’t think his journey of self-development ended with a player who can help them win games this year.