Martellus Bennett Martellus Demond Bennett ( born March 10 , 1987 ) is an American football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and played with them and the New York Giants previously . He played college football at Texas A & M . He is the brother of Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett . Early years . Bennett played football and basketball at Alief Taylor High School in Alief , Texas . He was a three - year starter and two - time All - District and All - Greater Houston selection at tight end . As a sophomore , he averaged 12 . 4 yards per catch . During his junior year , he grabbed 13 catches for 170 yards and two touchdowns . In his senior year , he caught a team - high of 42 catches for 487 yards and six touchdowns , earning first - team Class 5A all - state honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association . He also averaged 23 points and 8 . 2 rebounds per game as a senior in basketball . As a college football prospect in his senior year of high school , Bennett was a five - star recruit ranked by Rivals . com as the No . 1 tight end and No . 8 best player in the 2005 prospect class . He was recruited by Texas A & M , Duke , Kansas , LSU , Miami , Oklahoma , and Texas . Although originally committed to play for Miami , he chose to sign a National Letter of Intent to play for Texas A & M . After his senior season , Bennett decided to declare for the 2005 NBA Draft , though did not hire an agent , intending to go to college if he did not get selected in the first round . NBA scouts informed him that it was unlikely he would , causing him to withdraw from the draft a few days prior . As a result , he decided to enroll in classes in the second summer session at Texas A & M . College career . In his freshman season at Texas A & M University , he caught 18 passes for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns , earning freshman All - American honors from " Sporting News " . In his sophomore season , he was named one of eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award , given annually to the nation ' s top tight end , after making 38 catches for 497 yards and three touchdowns . On October 28 , 2006 , he caught a career - high of 133 yards and two touchdowns on five catches against Baylor . He was named the Mackey Award Player of the Week after the game . He finished his sophomore season with All - Big 12 Second Team honors . In his junior season , he made 49 receptions for 587 yards and four touchdowns . After his junior season , an NFL committee indicated to Bennett that he would be a first or second - round pick in the NFL Draft , so Bennett decided to skip his senior season and declare early . In his three seasons at Texas A & M University , Bennett caught 105 passes for 1 , 246 yards and 10 touchdowns . His 105 receptions equal the school record of most receptions by a tight end . He only averaged 34 . 6 yards per game , though many felt that his head coach , Dennis Franchione , who ran a run - oriented offense , did not properly utilize his talent . After his sophomore season , Bennett recorded a rap song called " Throw me the ball coach , " and made a remix of it with his teammates . Bennett also played basketball for Texas A & M for two seasons under head coach Billy Gillispie , but decided to focus on football in January 2007 . In the 2005 – 06 season — his first — he became the first Texas A & M athlete since 1969 to letter in both basketball and football . He played in 26 games his freshman season , averaging 1 . 9 points and 1 . 5 rebounds . In his sophomore season , before choosing football , he averaged 0 . 5 points and 0 . 5 rebounds . Professional career . Pre - draft . At the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine , Bennett finished the 40 - yard dash in 4 . 68 seconds , ranking seventh out of the eight tight ends in his group . He ranked third in the vertical jump ( 34 inches ) and fifth in the broad jump ( 9 – 9 ) . Along with 30 other prospects , he was invited to the Dallas Cowboys ' Valley Ranch headquarters for a pre - draft visit on April 17 – 18 , 2008 . A week prior to the draft , an " Associated Press " sports writer critiqued Bennett ' s playing abilities as follows : " Played basketball for the Aggies as well , and has the athletic ability to be a nice red - zone target . Lack of speed means he ’ s not a deep threat , but once he improves his routes , his strength and size should make him an asset . Needs to improve zone recognition , too . Good , aggressive blocker . " Dallas Cowboys . Bennett was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round ( 61st overall ) of the 2008 NFL Draft . According to Cowboys ' owner Jerry Jones , Bennett was selected not because they needed a backup tight end , but to " add a new dimension " by being part of a two tight end offense . In the 2008 preseason , Bennett learned technique from tight end Jason Witten . During the preseason camps , the documentary series " Hard Knocks " initially portrayed Martellus as a lazy and unmotivated player . Although Bennett was initially having trouble learning the Cowboys ' offense , he worked hard to improve , as later episodes of Hard Knocks showed . Bennett agreed to a four - year contract with the team on July 24 . He was given the No . 2 tight end position over Tony Curtis . Bennett finished his rookie season with 20 receptions for 283 yards and four touchdowns . In his second season , Bennett compiled only 15 catches for 159 yards and no touchdowns . In a January 2010 news conference following the season , Jerry Jones indicated that while Bennett has breakout potential , he needs to put in the focus to meet it . Despite a left ankle sprain in the preseason , he responded in 2010 with a career high 33 catches , but for only 260 yards and no touchdowns . Bennett raised some eyebrows during a radio interview when he stated that backup quarterback Jon Kitna deserved a chance to compete for the starting quarterback job after filling in for the injured Tony Romo during the 2010 season . He had an injury plagued preseason in 2011 , with an injured hamstring and right high ankle strain keeping him out of two out of four preseason games . He is expected to miss the season opener , as well . New York Giants . On March 14 , 2012 , he signed a one - year , $ 2 . 5 million contract with the New York Giants . During the 2012 season , Bennett recorded 55 receptions for 626 yards and five touchdowns . Chicago Bears . On March 12 , 2013 , Bennett signed a four - year deal with the Chicago Bears . Personal . Bennett is a friend of former Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett . After Everett ' s career - ending neck injury in 2007 , Bennett chose to honor Everett by wearing his jersey number for two games during his 2007 junior season at Texas A & M . He is also known for his sense of humor . As a " Fort Worth Star - Telegram " reporter put it , Bennett " had more memorable quotes than memorable catches at Texas A & M " . After being drafted by the Cowboys , Bennett stated , when referring to incumbent quarterback Tony Romo : " Any quarterback that can get Jessica Simpson , I ’ ve got to play with him " . The Cowboys addressed his comment shortly afterwards . During an interview at the NFL Combine , when asked about his interest in both basketball and football , he responded : " Football is my wife and basketball is my mistress " . In January 2009 , Bennett was fined $ 22 , 000 for an explicit rap song he posted on YouTube .