Former NFL Player Martellus Bennett Releases Children’s Book, ‘Black Boy’

Bennett authored "Dear Black Boys" as a letter of inspiration for Black boys who feel like their only value is in sports.

Former NFL Super Bowl champion and New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett has just released a children’s book for Black boys. The illustrated book, Dear Black Boy, is meant to inspire and will be available for purchase on Jan. 14.

As reported by TMZ, “Dear Black Boy” was written by Bennett to encourage young Black boys to pursue their dreams, even if they’re not in sports. The book, published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group, is written for kids ages 3-6. Bennett’s book is described as a “letter of encouragement” for boys of color who may feel their value lies in the sports field.

Bennett said, “Dear Black Boy” is meant to show boys of color that they are valued not just as athletes but in every aspect of their lives.

Through the book’s pages, Bennett explains that the aspects of Black boys that make them great athletes also allow them to move up in other fields in life. He discusses “mental toughness, dedication, passion, determination, and effort.”

The former NFL player said, “When I look at Black boys, I don’t see athletes. I see a world of possibilities within them. So, I ask them, ‘What are they interested in, not what they play.’”

Bennett urges Black boys to “run toward freedom — the freedom of self-expression to become anything that you want to be in life.”

TMZ stated that Bennett spends most of his time on creative endeavors now despite his extremely successful football career. “Dear Black Boy” is not his first children’s book and won’t be his last. Bennett played in 144 games in his 10-year NFL career, won a Super Bowl Championship, and dominated the game as a tight end.

Bennett confirmed, “There’s never been a day in my life since I retired that I didn’t make something.”