View source for Michael Bennett (running back)

{{Short description|American football player (born 1978)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Michael Bennett
| image       = Michael Bennett (running back).JPG
| caption     = Bennett with the Oakland Raiders in 2010
| number      = 23, 26, 29, 32
| position    = [[Running back]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1978|8|13}}
| birth_place = [[Milwaukee]], Wisconsin, U.S.
| death_date  =
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 5
| height_in   = 10
| weight_lbs  = 211
| high_school = [[Lynde & Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School|Milwaukee Trade and Technical]]
| college     = [[Wisconsin Badgers football|Wisconsin]] (1998–2000)
| draftyear   = 2001
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 27
| pastteams   = * [[Minnesota Vikings]] ({{NFL Year|2001|2005}})
* [[New Orleans Saints]] ({{NFL Year|2006}})*
* [[Kansas City Chiefs]] ({{NFL Year|2006|2007}})
* [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] ({{NFL Year|2007|2008}})
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ({{NFL Year|2008|2009}})
* [[Oakland Raiders]] ({{NFL Year|2010}})
| highlights  = * [[Pro Bowl]] ([[2003 Pro Bowl|2002]])
* Second-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[2000 All-Big Ten Conference football team|2000]])
| statlabel1  = [[Carry (American football)|Rushing attempts]]
| statvalue1  = 842
| statlabel2  = [[Rushing yards]]
| statvalue2  = 3,703
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Rushing touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 13
| statlabel4  = [[Reception (American football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue4  = 159
| statlabel5  = [[Receiving yards]]
| statvalue5  = 1,294
| statlabel6  = [[Touchdown|Receiving touchdowns]]
| statvalue6  = 6
| pfr         = B/BennMi00 
}}

'''Michael A. Bennett''' (born August 13, 1978) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[running back]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Wisconsin Badgers football|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 [[2003 Pro Bowl|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==
Bennett attended [[Lynde & Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School|Milwaukee Trade and Technical High School]]. As a senior, he was ranked the top [[High school football|football]] player in the state, and was an All-State selection.

==College career==
Bennett attended the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] and was a standout in [[College football|football]] and in track as a [[sprint (running)|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===
As a junior at the 1997 state [[Track and field|track]] meet, Bennett set records in the [[100 metres|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.<ref>[https://www.wiaawi.org/Portals/0/PDF/Results/Track/State_Records/brecords.pdf WIAA Boys Track & Field Records] (2023). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (''WIAAWI.org'').</ref>

====Personal bests====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Event
!Time (seconds)
!Venue
!Date
|-
|[[60 meters]]
|6.67
|Fayetteville, Arkansas
|May 10, 2000
|-
|[[100 meters]]
|10.00 (wind-aided)<ref>{{cite web
 |title       = Michael BENNETT profile - all-athletics.com
 |url       = http://www.all-athletics.com/node/78850
 |access-date       = November 10, 2013
 |archive-date       = March 4, 2016
 |archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055942/http://www.all-athletics.com/node/78850
 |url-status       = dead
 }}</ref>
|Austin, Texas
|May 6, 2000
|-
|[[200 meters]]
|20.66
|Tempe, Arizona
|May 18, 2000
|}

==Professional career==
{{nfl predraft
|    height ft = 5
|    height in = 10
|       weight = 207
|         dash = 4.38
|    ten split = 1.52
| twenty split = 2.54
|      shuttle = 4.21
|   cone drill = 6.84
|     vertical = 39.5
|     broad ft = 10
|     broad in = 10
|        bench = 13
|    wonderlic = 
|     arm span = 
|    hand span = 
|         note = All values from Wisconsin [[Pro Day]].<ref>[http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=83828&draftyear=2013&genpos=RB nfldraftscout.com]</ref>
}}

===Minnesota Vikings===
Bennett was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round (27th overall) of the [[2001 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2001 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2001/draft.htm |access-date=March 18, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> As a [[rookie]] in [[2001 NFL season|2001]], he was thrust into a [[Starting lineup|starting]] role after the sudden retirement of star running back [[Robert Smith (running back)|Robert Smith]]. In [[2002 NFL season|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===
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 [[NFL draft|draft]] choice.

===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.

===Tampa Bay Buccaneers===
On October 16, 2007, the Buccaneers acquired Bennett from the Chiefs after injuries to [[running back]]s [[Carnell Williams]] and [[Michael Pittman Sr.|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===
Bennett was claimed off waivers by the [[San Diego Chargers]] on November 12, 2008. The team released [[linebacker]] [[Derek Smith (linebacker)|Derek Smith]] to make room for him on the roster.<ref>[http://forums.chargers.com/showthread.php?t=60902 Chargers Sign RB Michael Bennett & Release Derek Smith]</ref> 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.<ref name="p-f-r">[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BennMi00.htm Michael Bennett - Pro Football Reference]</ref>

===Oakland Raiders===
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.<ref name="p-f-r" />

==NFL career statistics==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[2001 NFL season|2001]] || [[2001 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 13 || 13 || 172 || 682 || 4.0 || 31 || 2 || 29 || 226 || 7.8 || '''80''' || 1
|-
! [[2002 NFL season|2002]] || [[2002 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || '''255''' || '''1,296''' || 5.1 || '''85''' || '''5''' || '''37''' || '''351''' || 9.5 || 45 || 1
|-
! [[2003 NFL season|2003]] || [[2003 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 8 || 7 || 90 || 447 || 5.0 || 28 || 1 || 12 || 132 || '''11.0''' || 40 || 0
|-
! [[2004 NFL season|2004]] || [[2004 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 11 || 7 || 70 || 276 || 3.9 || 25 || 1 || 21 || 207 || 9.9 || 38 || 1
|-
! [[2005 NFL season|2005]] || [[2005 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| '''16''' || 6 || 126 || 473 || 3.8 || 61 || 3 || 27 || 124 || 4.6 || 20 || '''2'''
|-
! [[2006 NFL season|2006]] || [[2006 Kansas City Chiefs season|KC]]
| 11 || 0 || 36 || 200 || '''5.6''' || 41 || 0 || 9 || 77 || 8.6 || 14 || 0
|-
! rowspan="2"|[[2007 NFL season|2007]] || [[2007 Kansas City Chiefs season|KC]]
| 6 || 0 || 20 || 52 || 2.6 || 12 || 0 || 10 || 47 || 4.7 || 9 || 0
|-
! [[2007 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|TB]]
| 8 || 1 || 41 || 189 || 4.6 || 28 || 1 || 5 || 54 || 10.8 || 23 || 1
|-
! rowspan="2"|[[2008 NFL season|2008]] || [[2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|TB]]
| 5 || 0 || 7 || 12 || 1.7 || 4 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 2.0 || 2 || 0
|-
! [[2008 San Diego Chargers season|SD]]
| 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2009 NFL season|2009]] || [[2009 San Diego Chargers season|SD]]
| 6 || 0 || 23 || 65 || 2.8 || 14 || 0 || 6 || 65 || 10.8 || 33 || 0
|-
! [[2010 NFL season|2010]] || [[2010 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 7 || 0 || 2 || 11 || 5.5 || 6 || 0 || 2 || 9 || 4.5 || 6 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| Career<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BennMi00.htm|title= Michael Bennett  |publisher= Football-Reference.com  |access-date=January 30, 2020}}</ref> !! 109 !! 50 !! 842 !! 3,703 !! 4.4 !! 85 !! 13 !! 159 !! 1,294 !! 8.1 !! 80 !! 6
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101229111454/http://www.chargers.com/team/roster/Michael-Bennett/BEN384766 San Diego Chargers bio]
*[http://www.raiders.com/team/roster/Michael-Bennett/4c5cd19f-7d3c-457a-925c-196739ca885c Oakland Raiders bio]
*[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BennMi00.htm Pro Football Reference profile]

{{2001 NFL Draft}}
{{VikingsFirstPick}}
{{Vikings2001DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Michael}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Milwaukee]]
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Wisconsin Badgers football players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Vikings players]]
[[Category:Kansas City Chiefs players]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers players]]
[[Category:Oakland Raiders players]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]