Bears Tight End Martellus Bennett Readying For Return
By Chris Emma--
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (CBS) -- Bears tight end Martellus Bennett spent his Thanksgiving at home, away from the television.
As his Bears beat the Packers in Green Bay, Bennett focused on his rehab from a rib injury suffered against the Broncos the previous week and held off from watching the game live. After all, for a player who hadn't missed a game in four years, sitting out an important rivalry game was very difficult.
"My wife watched the game," Bennett said. "I heard a lot of jumping up and down, stuff like that. I felt like I was watching it."
Bennett went back and watched the film, knowing the outcome was positive for his team after a 17-13 win. If Chicago had played on Sunday rather than Thanksgiving night, he would've been able to play.
On Wednesday at Halas Hall, Bennett was a full participant in practice, working without restrictions. It appears that he's on target to play in Sunday's game with the 49ers, adding a surplus of offensive weapons for the Bears. In 2015, Bennett has 50 catches in 10 games but just five in his last two games. Backup tight end Zach Miller has stepped up too.
Bennett's comments Wednesday were the first of his since in the postgame locker room following Chicago's win in St. Louis. He didn't speak leading up to the game against Denver or last week prior to the Green Bay contest.
"I just think there's a lot of s--t going on in the world that's more important than me talking about football," Bennett said. "I'm not trying to distribute to the distraction when there are real current events going on.
"I just feel like there's no reason to be another distraction with the things that are going on in Chicago, with the police, the killings, the bombings across the world. It's way more important than me sitting here talking about football."
Chris Emma covers the Chicago sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.
