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Michael Bennett (running back)

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Michael Bennett
refer to caption
Bennett with the Oakland Raiders in 2010
No. 23, 26, 29, 32
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1978-08-13) August 13, 1978 (age 46)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:211 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school:Milwaukee Trade and Technical
College:Wisconsin (1998–2000)
NFL draft:2001 / round: 1 / pick: 27
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts:842
Rushing yards:3,703
Rushing touchdowns:13
Receptions:159
Receiving yards:1,294
Receiving touchdowns:6
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Michael A. Bennett (born August 13, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft with the 27th overall pick. A Pro Bowl selection with the Vikings in 2002, Bennett was also a member of the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Diego Chargers, and Oakland Raiders.

Early life

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Bennett attended Milwaukee Trade and Technical High School. As a senior, he was ranked the top football player in the state, and was an All-State selection.

College career

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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, Bennett rushed for 1,592 yards and scored ten touchdowns, despite missing two games due to injury.

Track and field

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As a junior at the 1997 state track meet, Bennett set records in the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes, then broke both records as a senior in 1998. Both his 100m time of 10.33 seconds and 200m time of 20.68 seconds still stand as state records as of 2024.[1]

Personal bests

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Event Time (seconds) Venue Date
60 meters 6.67 Fayetteville, Arkansas May 10, 2000
100 meters 10.00 (wind-aided)[2] Austin, Texas May 6, 2000
200 meters 20.66 Tempe, Arizona May 18, 2000

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 10 in
(1.78 m) 		207 lb
(94 kg) 		4.38 s 1.52 s 2.54 s 4.21 s 6.84 s 39.5 in
(1.00 m)		 10 ft 10 in
(3.30 m)		 13 reps
All values from Wisconsin Pro Day.[3]

Minnesota Vikings

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Bennett was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round (27th overall) of the 2001 NFL draft.[4] As a rookie in 2001, he 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.

New Orleans Saints

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Bennett 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.

Kansas City Chiefs

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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.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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On October 16, 2007, the Buccaneers acquired Bennett from the Chiefs after injuries to running backs Carnell 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. Bennett was released on November 11 when Carnell Williams was activated from the PUP list.

San Diego Chargers

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Bennett was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Chargers on November 12, 2008. The team released linebacker Derek Smith to make room for him on the roster.[5] He was released on March 4, 2010. During the 2009 season with San Diego, Bennett played in six games, rushing 23 times for 65 yards, and catching six passes for 65 yards.[6]

Oakland Raiders

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Bennett signed with the Oakland Raiders on May 6, 2010. He was released on September 5, 2011. During the 2010 season with Oakland, he gained 11 yards rushing and nine yards receiving while playing in seven games.[6]

NFL career statistics

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Year Team Games Rushing Receiving
GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
2001 MIN 13 13 172 682 4.0 31 2 29 226 7.8 80 1
2002 MIN 16 16 255 1,296 5.1 85 5 37 351 9.5 45 1
2003 MIN 8 7 90 447 5.0 28 1 12 132 11.0 40 0
2004 MIN 11 7 70 276 3.9 25 1 21 207 9.9 38 1
2005 MIN 16 6 126 473 3.8 61 3 27 124 4.6 20 2
2006 KC 11 0 36 200 5.6 41 0 9 77 8.6 14 0
2007 KC 6 0 20 52 2.6 12 0 10 47 4.7 9 0
TB 8 1 41 189 4.6 28 1 5 54 10.8 23 1
2008 TB 5 0 7 12 1.7 4 0 1 2 2.0 2 0
SD 2 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0
2009 SD 6 0 23 65 2.8 14 0 6 65 10.8 33 0
2010 OAK 7 0 2 11 5.5 6 0 2 9 4.5 6 0
Career[7] 109 50 842 3,703 4.4 85 13 159 1,294 8.1 80 6

References

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  1. ^ WIAA Boys Track & Field Records (2023). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAAWI.org).
  2. ^ "Michael BENNETT profile - all-athletics.com". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  3. ^ nfldraftscout.com
  4. ^ "2001 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  5. ^ Chargers Sign RB Michael Bennett & Release Derek Smith
  6. ^ a b Michael Bennett - Pro Football Reference
  7. ^ "Michael Bennett". Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
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