Martellus Bennett Celebrates Super Bowl Berth By Dancing With Patriots Cheerleaders
BOSTON (CBS) -- Martellus Bennett is going to the Super Bowl for the first time in his career.
How did he celebrate? In a way you'd expect the always-entertaining tight end to celebrate: He danced with the New England cheerleaders.
Bennett grabbed some pom-poms and showed off his moves following New England's 36-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. He had five catches for 32 yards in the victory, which punched New England's ticket to Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons in Houston in two weeks.
The nine-year veteran has been on a lot of bad teams during his career, with Sunday just the fourth playoff game he's played in. This season is just his second trip to the playoffs, with his first coming in 2009 with the Dallas Cowboys, so going to the Super Bowl is a dream come true for Bennett.
"Honestly, over the years I never really felt like the Super Bowl was a possibility," he told reporters after the win. "That's one of your goals. I was talking to my wife this morning. I'm like, 'I don't really know how to feel about going into this game.' I always dreamed about going to the Super Bowl but it never really felt like an attainable goal in the past because we lost so many games and we were never really in position. You're just hopeful to go to the playoffs. So this is very special—it's a dream come true."
Bennett said he'll be reaching out to his brother, Michael, who won a Super Bowl of his own with the Seattle Seahawks three years ago.
"I'm about to FaceTime him and say, 'Now I'm going to the Super Bowl [expletive deleted]. Meet me in Houston,'" Bennett joked, calling his brother a rather unflattering name in the process. "He's in Hawaii right now so I know he's enjoying it. It's still early there so I still have time to call him and kind of rub it in his face and make sure he's feeling OK when he's on the beach right now and I'm getting ready to go to the Super Bowl. I'm sure he'll be in Houston. I think he's going to play in the Pro Bowl and then will come out to Houston, our hometown. So it's good because I'm bringing one back for 'H-Town.' That's where it all started and that's where I grew up. That's where I played my first football games and everything. It's great to have the top of the mountain to go back home and show everyone I grew up around what you can do with hard work."
Bennett said things are much different in New England than anywhere else in the NFL. It's not about individual goals with the Patriots, just doing what's best for the team.
"From the moment I met my teammates, it was all about us and what can we do to get where we're trying to go. Everyone here believes," he said. "There wasn't a non-believer in this room at any time about going to the Super Bowl or what our goal was from the moment I got here in March or April. That rubs off on you. Iron sharpens iron and attitude is contagious. A winning attitude is contagious. I definitely got affected since I've been here. I've got the winning disease right now and I'm enjoying this one. I don't need the antidote."
Just imagine the entertainment that will come from "The Imagination Agency" when Super Bowl LI media day rolls around.
