Super Bowl champ Martellus Bennett uses Twitter to inspire youth to dream of more than being the next Jordan and to follow their dreams.
Eccentric Super bowl champion Martellus Bennett has been in the headlines recently regarding his decision to skip out on visiting the White House. Something that has not been widely discussed are his ventures outside of football.
Bennett is working to change the perception that athletes need to be simpleminded and “stick to sports.” He’s simultaneously working towards changing the mentality for young black children that playing ball is the only pathway towards success.
The multi-dimensional football star created the Imagination Agency, which earned him a spot on the most recent Forbes 30 under 30 list. The multi-media platform produces short films and creates toys in addition to publishing children’s books and comics. He authored a book based on his daughter called, “Hey A.J.,” in response to only 3% of children’s books having characters of color.
Beyond that, Bennett found the time to send out a set of inspirational tweets Wednesday morning, encouraging children of color to aim beyond merely being the next Jordan.
My goals this off season are to learn stop motion and how to play jazz on the trombone. What are do you guys have planned for the offseason
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) February 8, 2017
I appreciate all of the love. I honestly just want people to look at black kids and not say he's the next Michael Jordan all the damn time
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) February 8, 2017
I want them to be able to look into the crowd and say oh he's the next President. She's gonna be the next Spielberg. He's like Steve Jobs
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) February 8, 2017
There's nothing wrong with being an athlete but just know that you can be so much more.
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) February 8, 2017
I want to introduce them to new possibilities. You can get scholarships for creative writing, band, film school. Not just crossovers and
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) February 8, 2017
Stiff arms. You can literally do anything. I know that being an athlete is a proven method. We have millions of examples of it.
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) February 8, 2017
Just go through a roster. There's a ton of I used ball to get out of the hood story. Use ball don't let ball use you
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) February 8, 2017
You can Be anything. You can do anything. Dream Bigger. Imagine More.
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) February 8, 2017
Bennett’s message to the youth is very clear: aim high and follow dreams, regardless of how they’ll be perceived. Despite the criticism he’s received, Bennett is a living example of the motivational words he’s providing.
