Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett showed great potential in his 2008 rookie season, recording 20 receptions for 283-yards and four touchdowns. 

Bennett's numbers dropped significantly, however, in 2009 where he compiled just 159-yards and failed to reach the end zone. 

Granted, Bennett hasn't made national headlines for anything major like DUI's, brawls, weapons or drug charges, but he's made local papers for what seems like a lack of focus.

The Cowboys organization hit Bennett with a $22,647 fine after he posted a profanity laced rap song on his YouTube channel, "Marty B TV," that included references to Jerry Jones, Jason Whitten, Tony Romo and derogatory comments directed at African-Americans and homosexuals.  The video was removed by Bennett the following day but had already accumulated 24,000 views. 

Bennett was slammed again six months later when he posted a video titled, "Black Olympics," where the tight end and his older brother raced to see who could finish fried chicken, Kool-Aid and watermelon the quickest.  No explanation was needed on why the video probably wasn't a good idea either. 

The media coverage on the video was overblown, but that's what comes with being a Dallas Cowboy. 

Before the controversial rap and olympics videos, Bennett didn't come off great in the first half of HBO's "Hard Knocks," which showed Cowboys tight end coach, John Garrett, glued to the rookie's ear.  At times, Bennett showed frustration, rolling his eyes and arguing with Garrett but eventually turned things around towards the end of the documentary special. 

In the 2009 season, however, Bennett was a major disappointment, with not only poor statistics, but began missing blocking assignments and having mental lapses on the field. 

The Cowboys had envisioned a new offense with two dangerous tight ends in Jason Witten and Bennett.  It looked as though they might get what they had hoped for after Bennett showed promise in 2008, but Witten was the only tight end with a breakout season last year, going for 1,030 yards, the second time Witten's broken the 1,000-yard mark in his seven-year career with the Cowboys. 

Bennett referred to the duo between himself and Witten as "beans and rice," which is a pretty good description.  Witten is regarded as one of the toughest, hardest working players on the team, while Bennett seems lethargic. 

The Cincinnati Bengals offered Dallas a first-round draft pick for the tight end last season but the Cowboys turned the deal down.  This season will be Bennett's chance to prove all the naysayers wrong and showcase his athletic ability that he briefly showed to fans in the 2008 season. 

"Perception is reality at some point and I think he [Bennett] understands that," Witten said on ESPN Radio with Galloway & Company last week.  "There's a fine line of having personality to you and then doing too much." 

Monday afternoon, news broke of nude photos being released by Bennet's former girlfriend.  Although, Bennett claims the pictures were taken years ago, the timing couldn't have been much worse considering he's had to sit out training camp thus far with a sprained ankle, which the Cowboys are curiously calling a "non-football related injury." 

Hopefully, for the Cowboys and Bennett's sake, all the dirty laundry has been aired out and he can refocus on football.  The injured tight end tweeted that he would be shutting down his "Marty B TV"  YouTube channel, which has been the root of many of his problems over the last two seasons. 

"I will no longer be doing MartyBtv ever," Bennett said via twitter.  Bennett went on to say that it was his idea to shut the page down and not the Cowboys organization.  That may be true but there is no doubt that the Cowboys front office breathed a huge sigh of relief when learning of Bennett's decision. 

Bennett joked with reporters last season that he had matured as an athlete but not as a person.  At some point, maturing as a person needs to become a priority to translate into success on the field.