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)
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. A tight end is a player who can both block for runs and catch passes.

Martellus played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies. The Dallas Cowboys chose him in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. During his career, he played for five different teams. 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 retiring from football, Martellus became a children's author. He publishes books through his own company, The Imagination Agency. He is the younger brother of Michael Bennett, who was also a professional football player.

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 All-District and All-Greater Houston teams twice as a tight end.

As a sophomore, he caught passes for an average of 12.4 yards each. In his junior year, he had 13 catches for 170 yards and two touchdowns. During his senior year, he led his team with 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.

Choosing a College Team

When Martellus was a senior in high school, he was a top football recruit. Rivals.com ranked him as the best tight end and the 8th best player in his class for 2005. 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.

Martellus also thought about playing professional basketball. After his senior year, he entered the 2005 NBA draft. However, he did not hire an agent. He planned to go to college if he was not picked in the first round. NBA scouts told him this was unlikely. So, he withdrew from the draft and enrolled at Texas A&M.

College Football Career

Martellus Bennett played college football at Texas A&M University. 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.

On October 28, 2006, he had his best game against Baylor. He caught five passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns. He was named the Mackey Award Player of the Week after this game. He finished his sophomore season with Second-team All-Big 12 honors. In his junior year, he made 49 catches for 587 yards and four touchdowns.

After his junior season, an NFL committee told Martellus he would likely be picked in the first or second round of the NFL draft. Because of this, he decided to leave college early and enter the draft.

College Records and Other Interests

In his three years at Texas A&M, Martellus caught 105 passes for 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 105 catches tied the school record for most receptions by a tight end. He also played basketball for Texas A&M for two seasons. In the 2005–06 season, he became the first Texas A&M athlete since 1969 to play in both basketball and football. He decided to focus only on football in January 2007.

Professional Football Journey

Joining the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys chose Martellus Bennett in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. He was the 61st player picked overall. The Cowboys wanted him to be part of a new offense with two tight ends. In the 2008 preseason, he learned from experienced tight end Jason Witten.

Martellus signed a four-year contract with the Cowboys on July 24, 2008. He became the team's second-string tight end. In Week 7, he scored his first career touchdown. It was a 34-yard pass. He finished his first season with 20 catches for 283 yards and four touchdowns.

In 2009, his receiving numbers went down. He had only 15 catches for 159 yards and no touchdowns. In 2010, he had a career-high 33 catches, but for only 260 yards and no touchdowns.

During his time with the Cowboys, Martellus sometimes made headlines with his comments. He also had some injuries in the 2011 preseason. He missed two regular-season games that year. He finished 2011 with 17 catches for 144 yards and no touchdowns. Even though he was a backup to Jason Witten, he became a very good blocker. Before the 2012 season, he decided to leave the Cowboys to find a team where he could be a starter.

Playing for the New York Giants

Bennett in 2012

On March 14, 2012, Martellus signed a one-year contract with the New York Giants. He worked hard to get in shape for the season. In the first game against his old team, the Dallas Cowboys, he scored his first touchdown in several years. He played through different injuries that season. He finished his only season with the Giants with 55 catches for 626 yards and five touchdowns.

Time with the Chicago Bears

2013 Season Highlights

On March 12, 2013, Bennett signed a four-year deal with the Chicago Bears. In Week 2, he scored two touchdowns in a game for the first time in his career. The Bears won that game 31–30. 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.

2014 Pro Bowl Season

Bennett playing for the Chicago Bears in 2014

In August 2014, Martellus had a disagreement with a teammate during practice. He was briefly suspended by the team but was back a few days later. In Week 4, he had his best game for receiving yards against the Green Bay Packers. He gained 134 yards in that game.

In Week 14, he broke a Bears record. He made his 77th catch of the year, which was the most ever by a tight end for the Bears. In that same game, he had a career-high 12 catches. He finished the season with 90 catches for 916 yards and six touchdowns. On January 19, 2015, Martellus was chosen for the 2015 Pro Bowl.

2015 Season and Departure

In 2015, Martellus had some disagreements with the Bears team. He missed some voluntary practices because of a contract issue. He also got injured during the season. He hurt his ribs in Week 11 and later his shoulder. He was placed on the injured reserve list in December. At that time, he was leading the team with 53 catches.

His relationship with his teammates and coaches became difficult. He openly shared his unhappiness about his time with the Bears.

Winning the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots

On March 16, 2016, Martellus Bennett was traded to the New England Patriots. The Patriots hoped he would help their offense by playing alongside another great tight end, Rob Gronkowski.

In his first five weeks with the Patriots, Martellus was a very effective receiver. He had 21 catches for 314 yards and four touchdowns. This included a game where he scored three touchdowns.

When Gronkowski got injured later in the season, Martellus became the Patriots' main tight end. He played in all 16 regular-season games. He had 55 catches for 701 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns. He played through ankle and shoulder injuries that season.

On February 5, 2017, Martellus was part of the Patriots team that won Super Bowl LI. In the game, he caught five passes for 62 yards. The Patriots made an amazing comeback, winning 34–28 in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons. They had been losing by a lot of points in the third quarter. This was the first Super Bowl to go into overtime and the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Short Stints and Retirement

On March 10, 2017, Martellus signed with the Green Bay Packers. He played seven games for them, with 24 catches for 233 yards. He was released by the Packers in November 2017.

The very next day, on November 9, 2017, the Patriots claimed him again. However, he was found to have shoulder and hamstring 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, the Patriots released Martellus. On March 23, 2018, Martellus Bennett announced he was retiring from the NFL. He wanted to focus on his multimedia production company.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular season

Postseason

Other Interests and Creative Work

Martellus Bennett has many interests outside of football. In 2014, he announced plans to release an animated short film called Zoovie. He created the sketches and storyboards for the film himself.

He is also a children's author. He released his first book, Hey A.J. It's Saturday, in 2016. He publishes his books through his own company, The Imagination Agency.

Personal Life

Bennett in 2013

Martellus Bennett is the younger brother of Michael Bennett, who also played 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, Martellus wore his jersey number for two games to honor him.

Martellus is known for his sense of humor. He often made memorable and funny comments.