Martellus Bennett’s return to Gillette Stadium has been marred after just two games and 24 snaps.

Patriots Injured Reserve News

The New England Patriots announced Monday that the veteran tight end was placed on reserve with a shoulder injury. Bennett — who helped lead the Patriots to the their historic come-from-behind Super Bowl LI victory in February — had the injury when New England claimed him off waivers from the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 9. He had intended to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery when the Packers waived him, but he signed with the Patriots instead.

Bennett, 30, played through the injury in a Nov. 12 victory over the Denver Broncos, playing seven snaps and recording three catches for 38 yards. A hamstring injury for Bennett was disclosed on the team’s participation report after that game, and he attempted to play through that as well. He was on the field for 17 snaps in a Nov. 19 win over the Oakland Raiders (3 catches for 15 yards).

The tight end was then limited in practice the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and then didn’t train the next two days and was inactive for Sunday’s victory over Miami.

“It was like one of those things, I talked to six or seven doctors about it and it could go either way,” Bennett said in his first interview after joining the Patriots. “It was one of those things I felt I should get fixed. And then after trying to get it fixed and getting waived, you just get that vengeance in your heart. It’s just like, ‘That’s how you’re going to do it? Then f— it. Let’s go ball.'”

Bennett — who has also played for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Chicago Bears — is due a $2 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2018 league year. If the Patriots don’t pick that up, however, he would become a free agent. Bennett once said the 2017 season could be his last, although he later retracted that statement.

New England also placed leading special-teams tackler Nate Ebner (knee) on injured reserve. Ebner injured his knee Sunday while being tackled on a 14-yard run on a successful fake punt. He was a second-team All-Pro selection for his special teams work lasts season.

The Patriots (9-2) next visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Caption:SAN DIEGO, CA – NOVEMBER 09: Martellus Bennett #83 of the Chicago Bears celebrates a touchdown against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on November 9, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Martellus Bennett was released by the Green Bay Packers on Thursday and claimed off waivers by the New England Patriots, but he’ll be sidelined for a while.

Martellus Bennett Injury News

The veteran tight end — who reportedly failed to disclose a physical condition — has been playing with a shoulder injury: a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum.

Bennett attended Patriots practice on Friday.

During Green Bay’s bye week — week 8 — Bennett said on social media that he was “pretty sure” he would retire after this season, but then sustained the shoulder injury following the first practice after the bye.

Packers (4-4, 3rd in NFL North) coach Mike McCarthy said Friday that surgery was being discussed before the Packers released Bennett.

“I’m not going to get into the Patriots claiming Marty, I’ll just reiterate what I said yesterday: I just know what the facts are and how the timeline came about,” McCarthy said. “I talked to him Tuesday [following the bye week] after practice and he [had] a shoulder concern injury. I advised him to get the second opinions. He did that and he went to a number of them. The last medical conversation I was involved with in regards to Marty, they were talking about scheduling surgery. After that, then you have the termination and then the claim. I really don’t have any comments on that. I’ve answered the question for the last time, respectfully.”

Bennett played for the Patriots in 2016. He had 55 catches for 701 yards and 7 touchdowns for the team that campaign, which ended with a historic, comeback overtime Super Bowl victory.

The 30-year-old tight end has also played for the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, and Chicago Bears.

Instead of re-signing Bennett as a free agent this offseason, the Patriots (6-2) chose to trade for Indianapolis Colts tight end Dwayne Allen, who has not recorded a catch in eight games this season.

In claiming Bennett, the Patriots inherit the three-year, $21 million contract that he had signed with the Packers. If the Patriots don’t pick up a $2 million bonus early in the 2018 league year, Bennett would become a free agent again.

Caption:SAN DIEGO, CA – NOVEMBER 09: Martellus Bennett #83 of the Chicago Bears celebrates a touchdown against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on November 9, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Linebacker Dont’a Hightower is now the third New England Patriots player, after safety Devin McCourty and tight end Martellus Bennett, to announce he’ll skip the team’s trip to the White House after winning Super Bowl LI on Sunday.

Dont’a Hightower, Devin McCourty and Martellus Bennett to Skip White House Visit

However, Hightower cited a different reason than his teammates did for choosing to miss the visit.

“Been there, done that,” the linebacker said when asked about his plans Wednesday on SportsCenter.

Hightower also skipped the Patriot’s visit to the White House in 2015. He had already made the trip in college after Alabama won the national championship.

Bennett was the first to announce he would miss the visit just moments after the Patriots’ big victory on Sunday, and McCourty followed suit shortly thereafter. Both cited the fact that they don’t support President Donald Trump as their main reason for not going to the White House, although neither explicitly mentioned Trump’s name in their comments.

“I’m not going to the White House,” McCourty told Time on Monday in a text message. “Basic reason for me is I don’t feel accepted in the White House. With the president having so many strong opinions and prejudices I believe certain people might feel accepted there while others won’t.”

McCourty added: “I can’t imagine a way I go there.”

President Trump has long admitted he’s friends with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, head coach Bill Belichick, and owner Robert Kraft. Kraft recently explained that he’s close with Trump because of how compassionate the former real estate mogul and ‘”Apprentice” star was to Kraft when his wife died in 2011.

Unsurprisingly, Trump predicted the Patriots would beat the Falcons in Super Bowl LI.

Patriots running back James White, who set a Super Bowl record with 20 points scored– including the game-winning touchdown in overtime– is also reportedly deliberating on whether to make the trip.

“I’ll wait ’til the time comes and decide then,” White said on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday.

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Dont’a Hightower #54 of the New England Patriots celebrates with Devin McCourty #32 after forcing a fumble from Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Atlanta Falcons defensive end Dwight Freeney and New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett fought for the ball several times in Sunday night’s Super Bowl LI in Houston, but one of their collisions ended in a strange incident – there helmets got stuck together!

Dwight Freeney, Martellus Bennett’s Helmets STUCK TOGETHER

Play stopped briefly in the dying minutes of the third quarter when the two players’ helmets got hooked together. Freeney and Bennett had to ask the officials for assistance, and one of them managed to separate the helmets.

It isn’t often one sees this in a football game, but it sure was amusing to watch, as this fan noted.

The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl 34-28 in overtime at NRG Stadium after a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback that saw them erase a 25-point deficit.

Bennett also stated, following Sunday night’s win, that he would not attend the Super Bowl celebration at the White House because he doesn’t support President Donald Trump. 

The tight end added he was not worried about what Patriots owner Robert Kraft might think of his decision.

‘I’m not really worried about that,’ said Bennett. ‘I’m not worried about it at all.’

Tom Brady skipped the Patriots’ White House trip after their NFL championship win in 2015, citing a family commitment.

The Patriots quarterback is friends with Trump, nevertheless, as both have stated they occasionally call each other and have played golf together.

Kraft and Pats coach Bill Belichick are also reportedly friendly with the President and former “Apprentice” star.

Bennett had previously said that he might not go to Washington, DC if his team won.

When a reporter asked him last week if he would take part in the trip, Bennett replied: ‘I don’t know, I’ve got to win the Super Bowl. But most likely no, because I don’t support the guy that’s in the house.’

 HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Martellus Bennett #88 of the New England Patriots and Dwight Freeney #93 of the Atlanta Falcons separate their helmets after colliding during the third quarter of Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

We are taught growing up to not to say things that might hurt other people’s feelings or are rude and considered socially unacceptable. New England Patriot’s tight end Martellus Bennett, probably learned such social etiquette when he was a child, but as an adult he’s decided to speak his mind and if you don’t like it too bad.

Bennett and his brother Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks had an interview with ESPN that has people stirring. The brothers asked to communicate any initial thoughts that came to mind when they heard a name. The list included Roger Goodell, J.J. Watt, Pete Carroll, Sam Bradford and Tom Brady. The thoughts they shared were comical, sarcastic and honest.

They are a journalists dream.

When they were asked what they thought of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, and according to ESPN Michael said “Worst quarterback in the NFL.”

Martellus added “I’d be open and he’d throw into double coverage.” Martellus was Cutler’s teammate in Chicago for three seasons.

Athletes are groomed by athletics communications staff by NCAA schools across the country for what to say to the media and how to say it. The ideas are their own, but the way it is communicated is formulaic, not organic. In the realm of professional sports it is even more “important” to be diplomatic.

The brothers were talking at lunch and according to ESPN Martellus asked Michael “Do guys ever come up to you and say, ‘Man, you said that? I wish I could say that…”

Michael responded “All the time.”

High performing athletes are given more leeway than the average athlete, otherwise Bennett may have been asked to tone it down or else. Bennett is generally an excellent athlete, have played basketball and football. At the end of his senior year in high school, he declared for the NBA draft, but when NBA coaches told him at combines they didn’t think it was likely he would get drafted he pulled out of the draft and went to play football at Texas A&M instead. In 2015 playing for the Chicago Bears he ranked 17th in the NFL for receiving yards per game and averaged 39.91 yards. He led the team in receptions with 53 and scored three touchdowns before being placed on the injured reserve list.

Bennett’s consistent no-filter dialogue was part of the reason he was traded from the Bears to the Patriots proving that if you’re too honest people might not want to work with you, but doesn’t mean you won’t get a job elsewhere.

After the first weekend of training camp Bennett hasn’t held back when asked about Rob Gronkowski. According to CBS Bennet said “He’s really f—ing good!”

It doesn’t seem like Bennett is going to be less candid any time soon. Perhaps Bennett has found in New England what his brother Michael found in Seattle, a coach who will just let him be himself. Bill Belichick currently ranked fourth at 10/1 to win coach of the year award. Quarterback Tom Brady may have something to do with it, but so will Gronkowski and Bennett. Belichick has been around long enough to know that if you work with someone they will want to work ten times harder for you and the team than if you are constantly nagging him and trying to be his life coach.

A lot of the time there is animosity in locker rooms that is concealed because teams fear the media gets ahold of it and dwells on it unapologetically. The fact that a player may say something to the media doesn’t make it all of a sudden true, it’s just now public. If a player says they don’t like another player on their team, chances are the other party feels the same. Sometimes the adage ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all’ is fair. It’s would be unfair for an athlete to go out of his way to berate another player, but if they are being asked a question there’s no reason why he should feel the need to censor himself.

Post-game press conference highlights on ESPN and Sportscenter would be more entertaining and refreshing if athletes were honest about how they felt about a game instead of saying “They’re a great team, gave us a great fight”.

Veteran NFL tight end Martellus Bennett has responded to a rather funny-yet-important call from New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady in his own humorous way.

Martellus Bennett Answers Tom Brady’s Call For ReceiverS

In a video he posted on his Facebook page, Brady appears to channel his inner Ron Burgundy, the beloved character from the famous comedy Anchorman, and blows into a conch shell. As the caption for the video, Brady simply writes, “New England Patriots RECEIVERS … ASSEMBLE!!!”

Bennett, who previously played for the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, and the Chicago Bears, and  answered Brady’s call in his own funny way.

Bennett was traded to the Patriots from the Bears on March 16 along with a sixth-round draft pick.

“I don’t always answer bird calls, but when I do, they’re from Tom Brady and Gronk,” Bennett said in two videos posted on Instagram, in which he is shown doing sit-ups and other fitness exercises thanks to the help of his young daughter.