Former Super Bowl champ Martellus Bennett retires to focus on ‘life’s work’

After 10 seasons with five different NFL franchises, veteran tight end Martellus Bennett has decided to call it a career.

Less than two weeks after celebrating his 31st birthday, veteran tight end Martellus Bennett has announced his retirement from the NFL to focus on The Imagination Agency, his multimedia production company for children’s content. Released this offseason by the New England Patriots following an injury-shortened and controversial season, it’s officially over for the 10-year veteran.

A second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2008, the former Texas A&M product took a big backseat to Jason Witten with the club. In four seasons with the ‘Boys, he totaled 85 catches for 846 yards and four scores. And all of those touchdowns came in his rookie campaign. It was off to the New York Giants in 2012, where he began to blossom as a pass-catcher. He finished with 55 receptions for 626 yards and five TDs in his lone season with Big Blue.

In 2013, he inked a four-year deal with the Chicago Bears and enjoyed success there. Three seasons with the club brought 208 grabs for 2,114 yards and 14 scores. He also earned a Pro Bowl invite in 2014. In 2016, he was dealt to the New England where he was part of that Super Bowl-winning team. He finished third on the Patriots with 55 catches, second with 701 yards and led Bill Belichick’s squad with seven scoring receptions.

Signed by the Green Bay Packers last offseason, Bennett played in seven games for Mike McCarthy’s team before being released. You may recall (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport) that the Pack let him go for “failure to disclose a medical condition.” He would rejoin the Patriots, a team he won a Super Bowl ring with in 2016. But he lasted only two games and was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 27.

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His career statistics don’t jump out at you (433 receptions for 4,573 yards and 30 TDs) and he played for five teams in 10 years, but he certainly had his moments. All told, it was a nice career for Bennett and his future outside the NFL looks bright and animated.