️ From NFL to Author Martellus Bennett on Dreaming Big Breaking Barriers & Dear Black Boy

🏈✨ From NFL Champion to Creative Powerhouse

In this inspiring episode of the BACKtalk Podcast, we sit down with Martellus Bennett—Super Bowl Champion, author, animator, and world-builder—to talk about his powerful children’s book, Dear Black Boy.

Martellus opens up about why he walked away from football at the top of his game to pursue what he calls his “real job”: creating space for Black children to dream without limits.

We explore:
🔹 The meaning behind Dear Black Boy🔹 Why imagination is revolutionary for Black youth🔹 How parenting is life coaching in its truest form🔹 What it takes to break generational barriers and build new worlds

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or just someone who believes in the power of Black storytelling, this episode will inspire you to lead, love, and create with purpose.

📚 Dear Black Boy is more than a book—it’s a movement.
🎧 Tune in now and tag someone who needs to hear this.

⏱️ Episode Timestamps – Martellus Bennett on Dreaming Big & Dear Black Boy

00:00 – Intro and welcome to BACKtalk
01:00 – Meet Martellus Bennett: NFL star turned children's book author
04:00 – Favorite NFL memories and his connection to food
06:00 – Why he started writing children's books while playing football
10:00 – The lack of representation in children’s books for Black girls
13:00 – Why he focuses on expanding Black boys’ imagination
17:00 – The inspiration behind Dear Black Boy
20:00 – Sports as metaphor: life beyond the game
24:00 – Helping Black boys dream bigger with more than sports
28:00 – The power of storytelling and identity for Black kids
32:00 – How Black men can be gardeners of potential
35:00 – Reflections vs. representation in children’s media
39:00 – Why he doesn’t limit himself to one creative role
42:00 – Teaching kids to rewrite their own story
45:00 – Raising a creative child: messy, joyful, and intentional
49:00 – Participation in your child's imagination
52:00 – Honoring and passing on Black history through storytelling
56:00 – What's next: tech, video games, AR storytelling, and Disney
60:00 – Closing remarks and where to find Martellus Bennett online