Bennett making effort to befriend Rodgers: 'I send a lot of emojis'
Martellus Bennett is using his outgoing personality to make sure he's the player Aaron Rodgers has been waiting for.
The new Green Bay Packers tight end wants to ensure his relationship with his quarterback can be as close as possible on and off the field, regularly communicating with Rodgers via text when they aren't practicing together.
"I send a lot of emojis and GIFs and stuff like that to him. Other than that, it’s just conversations," Bennett told Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal last week. "That’s pretty much it. I tell him things like, 'I like chocolate chip cookies. What kind of cookie do you like?' I just tell him little things. Like, 'Hey, look my daughter did this today. She's jumping, or she learned to use the potty.' Stuff like that.
"It’s just conversation, making friends."
Related: 'Captain of Fun' Bennett getting quickly acclimated to Packers
Bennett hasn't limited himself to stories about his daughter or his favorite snacks as a way to connect with Rodgers. The 30-year-old tight end knows how to concentrate on business when the time comes.
"I'm always talking to him on the field, too, trying to see what he wants," Bennett said. "(I'll say), 'Hey, how did that look?' or he'll give me the thumbs up. Or if I’m in another group, I always look back at him, 'Hey, is that what you want? Is there something different you want on this?'
"Always trying to figure out, just trying to have those conversations on and off the field, trying to get know each other as players, and as people."
Rodgers has been searching for a reliable pass-catching tight end since taking over as the Packers starter in 2008. The closest thing he's had was Jermichael Finley, who was lost to a neck injury in 2013, but Rodgers already sees an upgrade in Bennett.
"He's a little taller than Jermichael was. But he wears his weight really well. I think he's up near about 280, (but) he looks like he's about 260. He's just a very well put-together player," Rodgers said. "He can do a lot of things.
"He can get down the field. He can make plays in the passing game. But he can really run-block as well. We're excited about having him here. He brings a different type of attitude. He is a very interesting person. He's got a lot of great interests. He cares about football. He cares about dominating ... I think he’s going to bring some extreme confidence to the locker room, which we need."