View source for Cornelius Bennett

{{Short description|American football player (born 1965)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Cornelius Bennett 
| number      = 55, 97
| position    = [[Linebacker]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1965|8|25|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Birmingham, Alabama]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 3
| weight_lb   = 240
| high_school = [[Ensley High School|Ensley]] (Birmingham)
| college     = [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]] (1983–1986)
| draftyear   = 1987
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 2
| pastteams   =
* [[Indianapolis Colts]] (1987)*
* [[Buffalo Bills]] ({{NFL Year|1987|1995}})
* [[Atlanta Falcons]] ({{NFL Year|1996|1998}})
* Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|1999|2000}})
| highlights  =
* 3× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1988 All-Pro Team|1988]], [[1991 All-Pro Team|1991]], [[1992 All-Pro Team|1992]])
* 5× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1989 Pro Bowl|1988]], [[1991 Pro Bowl|1990]]–[[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]])
* [[NFL 1990s All-Decade Team]]
* [[PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[PFWA All-Rookie Team#1987|1987]])
* [[Buffalo Bills#50th Anniversary Team|Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team]]
* [[Lombardi Award]] (1986)
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1986 College Football All-America Team|1986]])
* 2× First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1984 College Football All-America Team|1984]], [[1985 College Football All-America Team|1985]])
* [[Southeastern Conference football individual awards#Player of the Year|SEC Player of the Year]] (1986)
* 3× First-team [[List of All-SEC football teams|All-SEC]] ([[1984 All-SEC football team|1984]], [[1985 All-SEC football team|1985]], [[1986 All-SEC football team|1986]])
| statlabel1  = [[Tackle (football move)|Tackle]]s
| statvalue1  = 1,190
| statlabel2  = [[Quarterback sack|Sack]]s
| statvalue2  = 71.5
| statlabel3  = Forced [[fumble]]s
| statvalue3  = 31
| statlabel4  = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue4  = 7
| pfr         = BennCo00
| CollegeHOF  = 2156 
}}

'''Cornelius O'Landa Bennett''' (born August 25, 1965) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[linebacker]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played for the [[Buffalo Bills]] from [[1987 NFL season|1987]] to [[1995 Buffalo Bills season|1995]], [[Atlanta Falcons]] from [[1996 NFL season|1996]] to [[1998 Atlanta Falcons season|1998]], and the [[Indianapolis Colts]] from [[1999 Indianapolis Colts season|1999]] to [[2000 Indianapolis Colts season|2000]]. Bennett was a five-time [[Pro Bowl]]er, being elected in [[1989 Pro Bowl|1988]], and [[1991 Pro Bowl|1990]]–[[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]], and won the AFC Defensive Player of the Year award twice (1988 and 1991).

==Early life==
Bennett was born in [[Birmingham, Alabama]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kausler Jr. |first=Don |date=June 28, 2011 |title=Ex-Tide star Cornelius Bennett spends his days helping others now |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2011/06/ex-tide_star_cornelius_bennett.html |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=AL.com |language=en}}</ref> He played [[Halfback (American football)|halfback]] and several other positions while attending [[Ensley High School]] in Birmingham. Bennett was an excellent [[basketball]] and [[baseball]] player during his high school career. Bennett was an all-state performer for the [[high school football|football]] team his senior year, amassing over 1,000 yards on 101 rushes. Bennett was nicknamed "Biscuit" by friends because he always had room for one more.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Utterback |first=Bill  |date=September 2, 1988 |title=Trying To Avoid Bills' Bennett Has Become Foes' No. 1 Pastime |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/09/02/trying-to-avoid-bills-bennett-has-become-foes-no-1-pastime/ |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=Chicago Tribune|agency=Scripps Howard News Service}}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Stephen M. |date=June 25, 2015 |title=Cornelius Bennett's Path To The NFL |url=https://tdalabamamag.com/2015/06/25/cornelius-bennett-from-ensley-to-the-nfl/ |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=TD Alabama Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

==College career==
Bennett played for the [[University of Alabama]] from 1983 to 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 18, 2005 |title=Cornelius Bennett voted into Hall of Fame |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/news/2005/05/19/cornelius-bennett-voted-into-hall-of-fame/27887968007/ |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=The Tuscaloosa News |language=en-US}}</ref>  Bennett was a first selection on the [[College Football All-America Team]] three times (1984–1986). He is one of only two Alabama players to be named to three All-America teams, the other being fellow linebacker [[Woodrow Lowe]]. As a senior, he won the [[Lombardi Award]], [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] Player of the Year honors, and finished 7th in the balloting for the [[Heisman Trophy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vince Lombardi Award Winners |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/lombardi.html |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SEC Player of the Year Winners |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/sec-poy.html |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1986 Heisman Trophy Voting |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1986.html |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>  In his four seasons at the University of Alabama, Bennett recorded 287 [[Tackle (football move)|tackle]]s, {{frac|21|1|2}} [[Quarterback sack|sack]]s, and 3 [[fumble]] recoveries.  His most famous play was in 1986 when he leveled [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame]] [[quarterback]] [[Steve Beuerlein]], immortalized in a painting by artist Daniel Moore titled simply, ‘The Sack.’<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eskenazi |first=Gerald |date=January 5, 1989 |title=Bennett of Bills Already Rated As One of the N.F.L.'s Best |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/05/sports/bennett-of-bills-already-rated-as-one-of-the-nfl-s-best.html |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=New York Times}}</ref>  In 2005, Bennett was elected to the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2006 |title=Cornelius Bennett Enshrined into College Football Hall of Fame |url=https://rolltide.com/news/2006/8/12/Cornelius_Bennett_Enshrined_into_College_Football_Hall_of_Fame |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=University of Alabama Athletics |language=en}}</ref>

==Professional career==
{{Cquote|[[Lawrence Taylor|L. T.]]'s in a class all by himself. I'll put L. T. first, then [[Andre Tippett|Tippett]], and Bennett behind him.|15px|15px|[[New York Jets|Jets]] [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]] [[Roger Vick]], ranking the [[National Football League|NFL]]'s best pass rushers during the [[1988 NFL season|1988 season]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eskenazi |first=Gerald |date=October 17, 1988 |title=Bills' Bennett Says He's Best |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/17/sports/bills-bennett-says-he-s-best.html |access-date=2023-09-16 |website=New York Times}}</ref>}}

After his [[College football|college career]], Bennett was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the second pick of the [[1987 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1987 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1987/draft.htm |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The 1987 draft class was deemed the "Year of Linebacker", but Bennett was considered to stand "head-and-shoulders above the rest."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Horrigon |first=Joe |title=The MMQB NFL All-Time Draft |url=https://www.si.com/specials/mmqb-nfl-all-time-draft/rosters/joe-horrigan.html |access-date=September 16, 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en}}</ref> Bennett was Alabama's highest draft selection since quarterback [[Richard Todd (American football)|Richard Todd]] went 6th overall in [[1976 NFL draft|1976]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alabama Drafted Players/Alumni |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/schools/alabama/drafted.htm |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

Bennett and the Colts were unable to come to an agreement on a contract. Bennett was then dealt to the [[Buffalo Bills]] from the Colts in a three-way trade that also included [[Los Angeles Rams]] [[running back]] [[Eric Dickerson]] and Bills running back [[Greg Bell (running back, born 1962)|Greg Bell]]. This trade occurred in the fall of the [[1987 NFL season|1987 season]], just before the trade deadline, and has been called "the trade of the decade" by ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eskenazi |first=Gerald |date=December 18, 1987 |title=Trade for Bennett Pays Off for Bills |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/18/sports/nfl-matchups-trade-for-bennett-pays-off-for-bills.html |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=New York Times}}</ref>

In the NFL, Bennett's talent at the left outside linebacker position helped the teams he played for to five [[Super Bowl]] appearances (four with Buffalo and one with Atlanta), but they lost them all (an NFL record he shares with offensive lineman [[Glenn Parker]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weinfuss |first=Josh |date=January 31, 2014 |title=Cards broadcaster lost 5 Super Bowls |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/arizona-cardinals/post/_/id/4411/cards-broadcaster-lost-5-super-bowls |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>). In his 14 NFL seasons, he recorded {{frac|71|1|2}} sacks, 7 [[interception]]s, 31 forced fumbles, 27 fumble recoveries and three [[touchdown]]s (one interception, one fumble return, and one blocked field goal return).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cornelius Bennett Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BennCo00.htm |access-date=2024-12-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

At the time of his retirement, Bennett's 27 defensive fumble recoveries were the third most in NFL history.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Bennett was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2019 |title=Cornelius Bennett |url=https://ashof.org/inductees/cornelius-bennett/ |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=Alabama Sports Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}</ref>

Bennett is a cousin of former [[New England Patriots]] defensive end, the late [[Marquise Hill]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 28, 2007 |title=FOX Facts: NFL Player Marquise Hill Found Dead in New Orleans' Lake Ponchartrain |language=en-US |work=Fox News |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/fox-facts-nfl-player-marquise-hill-found-dead-in-new-orleans-lake-ponchartrain |access-date=November 17, 2017}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Tackles
! colspan="4"| Interceptions
! colspan="2"| Fumbles
|-
! GP !! GS !! Cmb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sck !! TfL !! Int !! Yds !! TD !! PD !! FF !! FR
|-
! [[1987 NFL season|1987]] !! [[1987 Buffalo Bills season|BUF]]
| 8 || 7 || 69 || – || – || 8.5 || – || – || – || – || – || '''5''' || 0 
|-
! [[1988 NFL season|1988]] !! [[1988 Buffalo Bills season|BUF]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 103 || – || – || '''9.5''' || – || '''2''' || 30 || 0 || – || 3 || '''3''' 
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] !! [[1989 Buffalo Bills season|BUF]]
| 12 || 12 || 54 || – || – || 5.5 || – || '''2''' || 5 || 0 || – || 1 || 2
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] !! [[1990 Buffalo Bills season|BUF]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 96 || – || – || 4.0 || – || – || – || – || – || 3 || 2
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] !! [[1991 Buffalo Bills season|BUF]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || '''107''' || – || – || 9.0 || – || – || – || – || – || 4 || 2 
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] !! [[1992 Buffalo Bills season|BUF]]
| 15 || 15 || 81 || – || – || 4.0 || – || – || – || – || – || 2 || '''3''' 
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] !! [[1993 Buffalo Bills season|BUF]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 102 || – || – || 5.0 || – || 1 || 5 || 0 || – || 2 || 2
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] !! [[1994 Buffalo Bills season|BUF]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 77 || 58 || 19 || 5.0 || – || – || – || – || – || 1 || '''3'''
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] !! [[1995 Buffalo Bills season|BUF]]
| 14 || 14 || 104 || '''81''' || 23 || 2.0 || – || 1 || '''69''' || '''1''' || – || 1 || 2
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] !! [[1996 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 13 || 13 || 60 || 52 || 8 || 3.0 || – || 1 || 3 || 0 || – || 2 || 2
|-
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] !! [[1997 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 90 || 68 || 22 || 7.0 || – || – || – || – || – || 2 || 1 
|-
! [[1998 NFL season|1998]] !! [[1998 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 92 || 69 || 23 || 1.0 || – || – || – || – || – || 0 || 2
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] !! [[1999 Indianapolis Colts season|IND]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 105 || 72 || '''33''' || 5.0 || '''10''' || – || – || – || '''5''' || '''5''' || 2
|-
! [[2000 NFL season|2000]] !! [[2000 Indianapolis Colts season|IND]]
| '''16''' || 15 || 50 || 36 || 14 || 3.0 || 6 || – || – || – || 4 || 0 || 1
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BennCo00.htm Career] || 206 || 204 || 1,190 || 436 || 142 || 71.5 || 16 || 7 || 119 || 1 || 9 || 31 || 27
|}

==Personal life==
In May 1997,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fabrizio |first=Tony |title=Cornelius Bennett: Back on Top - TheCabin.net |url=http://thecabin.net/stories/012699/sup_2.shtml |website=thecabin.net |access-date=May 16, 2017 |archive-date=September 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913232841/http://thecabin.net/stories/012699/sup_2.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bennett committed "vicious acts"<ref>{{Cite journal |date=April 1, 1998 |title=JUDGE SAYS CORNELIUS BENNETT MUST DO JAIL TIME IN SEX ASSAULT |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-23045631.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921200600/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-23045631.html |archive-date=September 21, 2014}}</ref> during a sexual assault of a woman at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Buffalo. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 days in jail for sexual misconduct. He was also placed on three years' probation, fined $500, ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, ordered to pay back $617 in medical bills for the woman,<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 27, 1998 |title=N.F.L.: NOTEBOOK; Bennett Draws Jail Term in Sex Case |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/27/sports/nfl-notebook-bennett-draws-jail-term-in-sex-case.html |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> and ordered to undergo anger-management and substance-abuse counseling.<ref name="o279">{{cite web | title=Cases involving athletes and sexual assault | website=USATODAY.com | date=2004-05-28 | url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/2003-12-22-athletes-assault-side_x.htm | access-date=2025-02-22}}</ref>

Bennett lives in [[Hollywood, Florida]], with his second wife, Kimberly Bennett.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

In May 2010, Bennett announced he will donate his brain for a CTE study, [[Chronic traumatic encephalopathy]],  of long-term brain injuries resulting from football-related injuries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Segrast |first=Doug |date=May 12, 2010 |title=Cornelius Bennett's putting brain where his mouth is for future NFL players |url=http://blog.al.com/segrest/2010/05/cornelius_bennetts_putting_bra.html |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=AL.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book |last=Scott |first=Richard |title=Legends of Alabama Football |publisher=Sports Publishing |year=2004 |isbn=1-58261-277-3 |pages=176–181 |chapter=Cornelius Bennett}}

==External links==
* {{Twitter}}
* {{College Football HoF|2156}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=cornelius-bennett |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |si= |pfr=B/BennCo00 |rotoworld= }}

{{Navboxes|title=Cornelius Bennett|list=
{{Southeastern Conference Football Player of the Year navbox}}
{{1986 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1987 NFL Draft}}
{{Second overall NFL draft picks}}
{{Indianapolis Colts 1987 draft navbox}}
{{ColtsFirstPick}}
{{Lombardi Award}}
{{NFL1990s}}
{{Buffalo Bills 50th Season All-time Team}}
{{SEC Male Athlete of the Year}}
{{Walter Camp Alumni of the Year}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Cornelius}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Ensley, Alabama]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Birmingham, Alabama]]
[[Category:American football outside linebackers]]
[[Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football players]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Indianapolis Colts players]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bills players]]
[[Category:Atlanta Falcons players]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:Second overall NFL draft picks]]
[[Category:Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year winners]]