Martellus Demond Bennett, born on March 10, 1987, in San Diego, California, is a former professional American football tight end who left an indelible mark on the National Football League during a decade-long career.
Raised in a sports-centric family on a naval base, Bennett grew up in Houston, Texas, where he honed his athletic talents at Alief Taylor High School, excelling in both football and basketball.
He combined physical prowess with a creative spirit, maintaining a 3.5 GPA while playing brass instruments like the trombone and trumpet.
Beyond the gridiron, Bennett has emerged as a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur, authoring children’s books such as Hey A.J., It’s Saturday!, starring in animated projects like Zoovie, and founding The Imagination Agency to promote creativity in education.
Siblings
Martellus has a younger brother, Michael Bennett, a celebrated NFL defensive end who played for teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles, Martellus shared not only family bonds but also the gridiron, teaming up with Michael during high school at Alief Taylor and their college years at Texas A&M University from 2006 to 2008.
Michael’s career mirrored Martellus’s in success, including a Super Bowl XLVIII victory with the Seahawks, and the siblings often drew parallels between their journeys, with Martellus once likening discovering his brother’s stardom to finding a favorite new band.
The Bennett family extends further with three other brothers, Donte Bennett, Reshaud Bennett, and an additional sibling, alongside two sisters, Ashley Bennett and Renekia Leathers.
Career
Bennett professional football odyssey commenced in 2008 when the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the second round, 61st overall, of the NFL Draft, fresh off a stellar college tenure at Texas A&M where he amassed 105 receptions for 1,246 yards over three seasons.
As a rookie with the Cowboys, Bennett navigated the spotlight of HBO’s Hard Knocks preseason series, initially depicted as unmotivated but ultimately proving his mettle by securing the No. 2 tight end role behind Jason Witten and scoring his first career touchdown in Week 7 against the St. Louis Rams.
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After three seasons in Dallas, yielding modest stats like 22 receptions in 2009, he was traded to the New York Giants in 2010, where he contributed 33 catches for 260 yards in a backup capacity.
Bennett’s trajectory ascended dramatically upon signing a four-year, $20.4 million deal with the Chicago Bears in 2013, erupting for career-best numbers with 65 receptions, 759 yards, and six touchdowns, including a memorable two-touchdown performance in Week 2 that nearly clinched a victory.
His tenure in Chicago spanned three injury-plagued yet productive years, marked by a public practice altercation in 2014 that highlighted his fiery personality.
Seeking a fresh start, Bennett inked a one-year pact with the New England Patriots in 2016, thriving in their pass-heavy offense with 55 catches for 439 yards and seven scores, pivotal in their Super Bowl LI comeback triumph over the Atlanta Falcons.
Reuniting briefly with brother Michael, he joined the Green Bay Packers on a three-year, $21 million contract in 2017, posting 53 receptions for 439 yards before a shoulder injury and undisclosed medical condition led to his release midseason.
Bennett’s final NFL stop was a short-lived return to New England, but persistent health issues prompted his retirement announcement in March 2018 at age 31, capping a 10-year run across five franchises in 144 games.
Accolades
Throughout his NFL tenure, Bennett garnered recognition for his reliability as a pass-catching tight end, most notably earning his sole Pro Bowl selection in 2013 during a breakout campaign with the Chicago Bears that saw him eclipse 700 receiving yards for the first time.
That season’s performance, which included tying for second in Bears tight end history with 65 catches, solidified his status among elite peers like Greg Olsen and Jason Witten, as one of just three tight ends to notch 50-plus receptions over five consecutive years from 2012 to 2016.
Bennett’s pinnacle achievement arrived in February 2017 with the New England Patriots, where he played a supporting yet crucial role in Super Bowl LI, registering five receptions for 62 yards en route to a 34-28 overtime victory that etched his name in championship lore despite forgoing a potential game-sealing touchdown pass to facilitate a run play.
On the collegiate front, he earned semifinalist honors for the John Mackey Award as a sophomore at Texas A&M, highlighted by a 133-yard, two-touchdown outburst against Baylor in 2006.
Post-retirement, Bennett’s creative endeavors have yielded further acclaim, including the release of his animated film Zoovie in 2015 and children’s literature that champions imagination.
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