Michael Bennett (American football)
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| Tampa Bay Buccaneers — No. 29 | |
| Running back | |
| Date of birth: August 13, 1978 | |
| Place of birth: Milwaukee, Wisconsin | |
| Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | Weight: 207 lb (94 kg) |
| National Football League debut | |
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| 2001 for the Minnesota Vikings | |
| Career history | |
| College: Wisconsin | |
| NFL Draft: 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 27 | |
Teams:
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| Current status: Active | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Stats at NFL.com | |
Michael A. Bennett (born August 13, 1978 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings 27th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.
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[edit] Early years
Bennett attended Milwaukee Tech High School. As a senior, he was ranked the top football player in the state, and was an All-State selection. In the 1998 state track meet, he set records in the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes. Today he is well-known as one of the fastest running backs in the league.
[edit] College career
Bennett attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was a standout in football and in track as a sprinter. He spent two years as a backup to Ron Dayne, but, as a junior, he rushed for 1,592 yards and scored ten touchdowns, despite missing two games due to injury. In track, he posted personal best times of 10.18 in the 100-meter dash, and 20.66 seconds in the 200-meter dash.
[edit] Professional career
[edit] 2001 NFL Draft
Bennett, at 207 lbs., ran a 4.39s[1] 40yard dash, logged 13 reps of 225 lbs, and had a vertical jump of 39 1/2" at the 2001 NFL Combine. [2]
Bennett was drafted by the Vikings 27th overall in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft.
[edit] Minnesota Vikings
Bennett was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. As a rookie in 2001, Bennett was thrust into a starting role after the sudden retirement of star running back Robert Smith. In 2002, Bennett rushed for 1,296 yards and added 351 yards receiving on his way to the Pro Bowl. However, his career stalled due to injuries the following year.
The Vikings released Bennett at the conclusion of the 2005 NFL season due to his persistent injury and ball handling problems.
[edit] New Orleans Saints
He was signed by the New Orleans Saints to serve as the backup to Deuce McAllister. After the addition of Reggie Bush in the 2006 NFL Draft, Bennett became expendable and was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a fourth round draft choice.
[edit] Kansas City Chiefs
Bennett spent the 2006 season and part of the 2007 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. He played in 17 games for the Chiefs in all, carrying the ball 56 times for 252 yards and no touchdowns. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just over a month in the 2007 season.
[edit] Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On October 16th, 2007 the Buccaneers acquired Bennett from the Chiefs after injuries to running backs Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman. His first touchdown as a Buccaneer came in Week 8 of the 2007 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars off a 19-yard swing pass run.
On February 15, 2008, Bennett re-signed with the Buccaneers in lieu of becoming an unrestricted free agent.
[edit] The NFL's fastest man?
Bennett was clocked running a 4.13 40 yard dash in his pro day workout at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This is actually one of the fastest 40-yd-dash time ever recorded, second only to Darrell Green's 4.09 at a Washington Redskins training camp and Bo Jackson's 4.12 second clocking at the New Orleans Superdome in 1986. Sports Illustrated did an article on him and he has the numbers 4.13 tattooed on his calves.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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