Martellus Bennett said he had to be talked into reporting to the team after the New England Patriots claimed him last week.

Bennett told his agent to tell teams not to claim him on waivers because he wanted to have surgery on an injured shoulder.

"When Bill [Belichick] called and said they claimed me, I was like, 'No [bleeping] way,'" Bennett said. "Then he was like, 'What's going on?' And I told him ... We had a quick conversation and I was just like, 'Let me think about it and I'll call you back.'

"Even then, it wasn't like, 'Hey, you want to come?' It was like,'‘Let me just call you back in a few minutes. Give me a chance to think about it and regroup.' Because I don't even know if I went through the seven stages of grief yet. I'm probably on Step 3.

"I think the group of guys on this team couldn't be a better place for me to, with what I'm going through right now, this situation, it couldn't be a better place for me, all the familiar faces and friends and things like that. It's been good to have those guys around."

The Green Bay Packers had already ruled him out last week, but he managed to get across country and prepare himself to play seven snaps last night for the Patriots.

Aaron Hernandez was diagnosed with the most severe case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy ever discovered in a person his age. The damage was so significant that it would have certainly affected his decision-making, judgment and cognition.

Ann McKee, the head of BU’s CTE Center, which has studied the disease caused by repetitive brain trauma for more than a decade, called Hernandez’s brain “one of the most significant contributions to our work” because of the brain’s pristine condition and the rare opportunity to study the disease in a 27-year-old.

Hernandez committed suicide in April while serving a life sentence for murder.

Doctors found Hernandez had Stage 3 CTE, which researchers had never seen in a brain younger than 46 years old.

“In this age group, he’s clearly at the severe end of the spectrum,” McKee said. “There is a concern that we’re seeing accelerated disease in young athletes. Whether or not that’s because they’re playing more aggressively or if they’re starting at younger ages, we don’t know. But we are seeing ravages of this disease, in this specific example, of a young person.”

Hernandez’s estate filed a federal lawsuit against the Patriots in September, alleging the Patriots knew hits to the head could lead to brain damage and failed to protect him.

The New England Patriots have claimed Martellus Bennett on waivers.

Bennett spent last season with the Patriots and was released this week by the Green Bay Packers.

Tom Brady acknowledged that he's not guaranteed to finish his career with the New England Patriots.

“Well, there is no guarantee in the NFL,” Brady told Jim Gray of Westwood One on Monday night. “I think that’s just what I’ve seen over a long period of time. I certainly hope I play for the Patriots. I hope they want me that long.”

The Patriots traded away Jimmy Garoppolo last week, which was an indicator Brady will likely remain with the franchise for his entire career.

“Some incredible players have moved teams,” Brady said. “I don’t want it to sound that it’s impossible for me go somewhere else. That’s just not the truth.  Any player can go anywhere during a particular year. That’s just how I feel.  I just try to approach it in a very humble way that I try to work really hard.  I try to gain the trust of my teammates, like I always have. I try to earn it day to day and I want to keep playing.  I want to keep playing at a high level. Obviously, I love this team.  I love the organization.  I love everything about Boston.  Hopefully, I can keep doing it at a really high level.”

The San Francisco 49ers inquired about trading for Brady before dealing for Garoppolo.

“Well, that would have been a much shorter commute for my parents to each game,” Brady said of a possible trade to the 49ers. “They have made such an effort over the years.”

The San Francisco 49ers won't start Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 10.

Kyle Shanahan said the plan remains for Garoppolo, who they acquired in a trade with the New England Patriots last week, to backup C.J. Beathard and play only in the event of an injury.

Garoppolo acknowledged Sunday that the past week has been a whirlwind as he has attempted to learn Shanahan's offense quickly enough to play if called upon. He spent most of Sunday attempting to take the playcalls he heard through his helmet and go through them mentally as they unfolded on the field.

"Some of the calls I know and some I don't right now, so I was just trying to get as much as I can as fast as I can," Garoppolo said. "It's a process, so I'm just working every day to get better."

After playing the New York Giants this week, the 49ers have a bye.

The San Francisco 49ers inquired about the availability of Tom Brady when initially contacting the New England Patriots about a tarde.

John Lynch reportedly asked Bill Belichick if he'd trade Brady, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Brady is 40 years old and the 49ers are in the middle of a rebuild.

The 49ers ultimately agreed to trade for Jimmy Garoppolo.

Brian Hoyer has agreed upon a three-year contract with the New England Patriots.

Hoyer was released by the San Francisco 49ers following their trade with the Patriots for Jimmy Garoppolo.

Hoyer played for the Patriots between 2009 and 2011.

Hoyer has started 37 career games, which gives the Patriots an experienced option behind the 40-year-old Tom Brady.