Martellus Bennett On White House Visit: 'I'm Not Going To Go'
BOSTON (CBS) -- When the Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots go visit the White House in the near future, they'll be missing at least one player.
Tight end Martellus Bennett told reporters earlier in the week in Houston that he'd probably skip out on the team's White House trip should the Patriots claim the championship. Shortly after the Patriots pulled off an incredible 34-28 comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons, Bennett took the podium and was asked if his feelings had changed.
They have not.
"I haven't thought about it. I am not going to go," he proclaimed after the victory. "I can elaborate later on in life; right now I am just trying to enjoy this. I haven't really thought about it. Like I said, it is what it is. People know how I feel about it, just follow me on Twitter."
Bennett has made it clear that he's not a big fan of President Donald Trump. He's not too worried that his decision to skip the trip, whenever it may be, could upset some of his teammates or members of the Patriots staff.
He said the best way to keep political beliefs from causing a problem in the locker room is to simply keep those thoughts at home.
"We are coworkers and we have to coexist for the same job, the same cause. The only thing that matters is getting this championship," he said. "Everybody comes from a different walk of life, everybody is going to be from different places and everybody has different beliefs, whether it is religion or anything. It could be about school. Some people don't want their kids to get shots. Every single thing is different, and we all have our beliefs. The thing is that we accept people for who they are, and that is the biggest thing that this country is about. I don't care what you believe. It is not going to separate me from accepting you for who you are. I am not mad at you. For me, it is just about accepting people for who they are."
Bennett didn't go out of his way to discuss the White House visit, only bringing it up when he was asked. He was much more willing to chat about his first Super Bowl championship, which he described in a way only Martellus Bennett could describe.
"It is like waking up and eating cake for breakfast. It is just one of those feelings," he said. "It is super cool and super fun."
Bennett was not alone at the podium, as he had his daughter, Austyn Jett, sitting on his lap as he took questions. He said having her and the rest of his family with him to celebrate the moment was what made the Super Bowl victory so special, but that was before she upstaged him. A.J. took over the press conference at one point, letting reporters know that their dog's name is Wendy, and the dog once peed on the rug.
So just to recap: Bennett is not going to the White House, he discussed eating cake for breakfast and we found out his dog peed on the rug. And that just about sums up a Martellus Bennett press conference for you.