Martellus Bennett played an important role at the end of the Patriots' Super Bowl LI win over the Falcons. After coming all the way back from a 28-3 deficit to force overtime, it was Bennett who drew the pass interference call that set the Patriots up at the two-yard line two plays before James White ran in for the winning touchdown.
There was a little bit of confusion in the immediate aftermath of White's touchdown as replay had to confirm he got across the goal line. Julian Edelman was famously yelling at people to get off the field until Bill Belichick informed him that the touchdown had been confirmed.
As it turns out, Bennett was a little confused for another reason, though. He didn't know the overtime rules.
In the NFL, a team can win on the opening drive of overtime if it scores a touchdown, which is what the Patriots did. If it only kicks a field goal on the opening drive, though, the opposing team gets a chance to tie or win the game with a drive of its own.
In a new Bleacher Report interview with Master Tes, Bennett explained what happened and why he had to ask Tom Brady if the Patriots had won.
"I was like water and all my teammates were like water," Bennett said. "Basically, it was just like so focused and enter a space of flow that I’ve never experienced in sports before. In fact, when we won, I had to ask Tom Brady. I said, 'Yo, Tom. Did we win?' He was like, 'Yeah. We're champions.' I said, 'Oh, (expletive). We champions!' I don't know the (expletive) overtime rules in the Super Bowl. (Expletive), they changed it.
"I'm telling you, bro. I was in flow. Like, I don't know what the score is, right? I had no idea. Like, that was really my only time of like really snapping out of flow 'cause I'm looking around and guys are running around. We're all crying and I don't know why I'm crying. My brother comes down and I think I was extra emotional. 'We're Super Bowl champions, the Bennett brothers. Like, who the (expletive) can say that (expletive)?"
Bennett had five catches for 62 yards in Super Bowl LI while playing as the Patriots' No. 1 tight end with Rob Gronkowski out injured that postseason.