It was a fun idea while it lasted. However, former tight end Martellus Bennett has publicly declared that he won’t be coming out of retirement to re-join the New England Patriots.

Rumors of a return surfaced when the Patriots acquired Michael Bennett (Martellus’ brother) in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Shortly after, a report emerged that Martellus was interested in coming out of retirement. While Martellus acknowledges that he “would love” to play with his brother, he stated in an Instagram post that his post-NFL work with his company, The Imagination Agency, is his “biggest dream.”

Tight end Martellus Bennett is tripped up by Broncos free safety Darian Stewart during a 2017 game in Denver. Bennett says he won't be coming out of retirement to rejoin the New England Patriots. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)

Since retiring from the NFL, Bennett has focused on his work with The Imagination Agency, a studio focusing on children’s entertainment, particularly children’s books and animation. His most recent work, “Dear Black Boy,” is a book – “a letter of encouragement” – directed at African American youths.

In his post, Bennett references the emotions he feels when he sees people reading the works he’s created through his company, calling this sort of work “my life’s purpose.” Bennett notes that “kids don’t need another athlete to look up to,” noting that he never quite felt that he belonged in a locker room.

“I was never one of the guys guys, most of my teammates would tell that,” Bennett wrote. “I’ve always been a creative who enjoyed competing.”

While Bennett won’t be returning to the Patriots on the field, he’s still been vocal in his support of the organization. Last week, Bennett posted a public guide of who’s who in the Patriots organization for his brother when he joins his new teammates in New England.

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