Martellus Bennett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Martellus Bennett

Bennett with the New England Patriots in 2016
No. 80, 85, 83, 88
Position:	Tight end
Personal information
Born:	(1987-03-10) March 10, 1987 (age 38) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:	275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
High school:	Alief Taylor (Houston, Texas)
College:	Texas A&M (2005–2007)
NFL Draft:	2008 / Round: 2 / Pick: 61
Career history
Dallas Cowboys (2008–2011) New York Giants (2012) Chicago Bears (2013–2015) New England Patriots (2016) Green Bay Packers (2017) New England Patriots (2017)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (LI) Pro Bowl (2014) Second-team All-Big 12 (2006)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 433 Receiving yards: 4,573 Receiving touchdowns: 30
Player stats at PFR

Martellus Demond Bennett (born March 10, 1987) is a former American football player. He played as a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. The Dallas Cowboys picked him in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft.

Bennett played for five different NFL teams during his career. He was especially known for his time with the Chicago Bears, where he was chosen for the Pro Bowl. He also won Super Bowl LI with the New England Patriots. After he stopped playing football, Bennett became a children's author. He publishes books through his company, The Imagination Agency. His older brother, Michael Bennett, also played in the NFL.

Early Life and High School Football

Martellus Bennett grew up in Houston, Texas. He played both football and basketball at Alief Taylor High School. He was a starter for three years in football. He was also chosen for the All-District and All-Greater Houston teams twice as a tight end.

In his junior year, he caught 13 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns. During his senior year, he had 42 catches for 487 yards and six touchdowns. This earned him first-team all-state honors. In basketball, he averaged 23 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a senior. He also played in the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

As a top high school player, Bennett was highly rated by Rivals.com. They ranked him as the best tight end in his class. Many colleges wanted him, including Texas A&M, Duke, and Texas. He first planned to play for Miami, but then decided to sign with Texas A&M.

Bennett also thought about playing professional basketball. He even declared for the 2005 NBA draft after high school. However, he decided to withdraw from the draft when he learned he likely wouldn't be picked in the first round. He then enrolled at Texas A&M.

Bennett on the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) during the 2006 Holiday Bowl luncheon

College Football Career

At Texas A&M University, Bennett started playing college football. In his first year, he caught 18 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns. In his second year, he was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award. This award goes to the best tight end in the country. He had 38 catches for 497 yards and three touchdowns that season. He also had a career-high 133 receiving yards in one game against Baylor. He earned Second-team All-Big 12 honors.

In his third year, he caught 49 passes for 587 yards and four touchdowns. After this season, an NFL committee told him he would likely be picked in the first or second round of the NFL Draft. So, Bennett decided to leave college early and enter the draft.

Overall, in his three seasons at Texas A&M, Bennett caught 105 passes for 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 105 catches tied the school record for tight ends. He also played basketball for Texas A&M for two seasons. He was the first Texas A&M athlete since 1969 to play both basketball and football. In January 2007, he chose to focus only on football.

Professional Football Career

Joining the NFL

Before the 2008 NFL Draft, Bennett showed off his skills at the NFL scouting combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds. He also performed well in the vertical jump and broad jump. The Dallas Cowboys invited him for a visit before the draft.

A sportswriter noted that Bennett had good athletic ability. He was seen as a strong player who could catch passes in important areas of the field.

Dallas Cowboys (2008–2011)

The Dallas Cowboys picked Martellus Bennett in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. The Cowboys wanted him to be part of an offense that used two tight ends. In his first preseason, he learned a lot from veteran tight end Jason Witten. He worked hard to improve his skills and learn the team's plays.

Bennett signed a four-year contract with the Cowboys. He became the team's second tight end. In his rookie season, he caught his first career touchdown. He finished the year with 20 catches for 283 yards and four touchdowns.

In 2009 and 2010, his receiving numbers went down. He had 15 catches in 2009 and 33 catches in 2010, but no touchdowns in either season. In 2011, he had an injury-filled preseason. He finished that year with 17 catches for 144 yards. While with the Cowboys, he became a very good blocker. Before the 2012 season, he decided to leave Dallas to have a chance to be a starting player.

New York Giants (2012)

Bennett in 2012

On March 14, 2012, Bennett signed a one-year contract with the New York Giants. He worked hard to get in shape for the season. When asked about his fitness, he famously said, "I'm stronger than I've ever been, I'm faster than I've ever been. I could run all day. I'm kind of like a black unicorn out there."

In his first game with the Giants, he scored a touchdown against his old team, the Dallas Cowboys. He played through different injuries that season. He finished his only year with the Giants with 55 catches for 626 yards and five touchdowns.

Chicago Bears (2013–2015)

On March 12, 2013, Bennett signed a four-year deal with the Chicago Bears. In his second game with the Bears, he scored two touchdowns. This was his first game with multiple touchdowns in his career. He ended the 2013 season with a career-high 65 catches and 759 yards. His 65 catches were the second-highest for a tight end in Bears history.

In 2014, Bennett had an amazing season. He set a career-high with 134 receiving yards in one game. He also broke the Bears' record for most catches by a tight end in a season. He finished the year with 90 catches for 916 yards and six touchdowns. Because of his great performance, he was chosen for the 2015 Pro Bowl.

In 2015, Bennett had some rib and shoulder injuries. He led the team with 53 catches before being placed on the injured reserve list. His relationship with his teammates and coaches became difficult during this time.

Bennett in 2013

New England Patriots (2016)

On March 16, 2016, Bennett was traded to the New England Patriots. The Patriots hoped he and Rob Gronkowski would form a strong two-tight end offense. In his first five weeks, Bennett was a very efficient receiver. He had 21 catches for 314 yards and four touchdowns. This included a game where he scored three touchdowns.

When Gronkowski got injured, Bennett became the Patriots' main tight end. He played in all 16 games, starting 12 of them. He finished the season with 55 catches for 701 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns. He played through ankle and shoulder injuries that required surgery after the season.

On February 5, 2017, Bennett and the Patriots won Super Bowl LI. In the game, he caught five passes for 62 yards. The Patriots made an incredible comeback, winning 34–28 in overtime after being down 28–3. This was the first Super Bowl to go into overtime.

Green Bay Packers (2017)

On March 10, 2017, Bennett signed a three-year contract with the Green Bay Packers. In his first game with the Packers, he had three catches for 43 yards. However, he was released by the Packers on November 8, 2017.

New England Patriots (2017)

The New England Patriots claimed Bennett off waivers on November 9, 2017. However, he was diagnosed with shoulder injuries that needed surgery. On November 27, 2017, the Patriots placed him on injured reserve. The Patriots reached Super Bowl LII that season, but they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

On March 7, 2018, Bennett was released by the Patriots.

Retirement

On March 23, 2018, Martellus Bennett announced he was retiring from the NFL. He decided to focus on his multimedia production company instead.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular season

Postseason

Other Ventures and Interests

Martellus Bennett has many interests outside of football. In 2014, he released a music album called Fast Food with his brother Reshaud. He also released a mixtape called Year of the Orange Dinosaur.

Bennett also created an animated short film called Zoovie. He provided the sketches and storyboards for the film. It was shown during the Bears' Family Fest in 2015.

He is also a children's author. In 2016, he published his first book, Hey A.J. It's Saturday. He released it through his own company, The Imagination Agency.

Personal Life

Martellus Bennett is the younger brother of Michael Bennett, who also played as a defensive end in the NFL. He is also a friend of former Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett. After Everett had a career-ending neck injury in 2007, Bennett wore his jersey number for two games to honor him.

Bennett is known for his great sense of humor. A reporter once said he had "more memorable quotes than memorable catches" in college. He is also known for being very creative.