Michael Bennett (running back) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Michael Bennett

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
Minnesota Vikings (2001) New Orleans Saints (2006)* Kansas City Chiefs (2006) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2007) San Diego Chargers (2008) Oakland Raiders (2010)
Career highlights and awards
Pro Bowl (2002) Second-team All-Big Ten (2000)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts: 842 Rushing yards: 3,703 Rushing touchdowns: 13 Receptions: 159 Receiving yards: 1,294 Receiving touchdowns: 6
Player stats at PFR

Michael A. Bennett (born August 13, 1978) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers. The Minnesota Vikings chose him in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft. He was the 27th player picked overall. Bennett was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 2002 while playing for the Vikings. He also played for several other NFL teams during his career.

Becoming a Football Star

Michael Bennett went to Milwaukee Trade and Technical High School. When he was a senior, he was considered the best football player in his state. He was also named an All-State player, meaning he was one of the top players in Wisconsin.

College Sports Career

Bennett attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was excellent at both football and track. In track, he was a very fast sprinter.

For two years, he was a backup player in football. This means he played behind another star player named Ron Dayne. When he was a junior, Bennett became a main player. He ran for 1,592 yards and scored ten touchdowns. He did this even though he missed two games because of an injury.

Bennett's Amazing Speed

Michael Bennett was also a fantastic track athlete. In 1997, he set new state records in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. The next year, in 1998, he broke his own records!

His 100-meter time was 10.33 seconds. His 200-meter time was 20.68 seconds. These times are still state records today, even in 2024. This shows how incredibly fast he was!

Playing in the NFL

Michael Bennett began his professional football journey in 2001. He was picked by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the NFL draft. This was a big achievement for him.

Starting Strong with the Vikings

As a rookie (a first-year player) in 2001, Bennett quickly became a starter. This happened after the team's star running back, Robert Smith, suddenly retired.

In 2002, Bennett had an amazing season. He ran for 1,296 yards and caught passes for 351 more yards. Because of his great performance, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl is a special game where the best players from the NFL play against each other. However, after this great year, injuries started to affect his career. The Vikings let Bennett go after the 2005 season.

Moving to Other Teams

After leaving the Vikings, Bennett joined the New Orleans Saints. He was meant to be a backup player for their main running back. But then, the Saints added another talented player, Reggie Bush. This meant Bennett was no longer needed as much, and he was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bennett played for the Chiefs for about a year and a half. He carried the ball 56 times for 252 yards. In October 2007, he was traded again, this time to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers needed running backs because some of their players were injured. Bennett scored his first touchdown for the Buccaneers in his first few games with them.

In 2008, Bennett signed a new contract with the Buccaneers. However, he was released later that year when another injured player returned to the team.

Finishing His Career

After the Buccaneers, Bennett was picked up by the San Diego Chargers in November 2008. He played for them for a little over a year. In 2009, he played in six games, running for 65 yards and catching passes for another 65 yards. He was released by the Chargers in March 2010.

Finally, Bennett signed with the Oakland Raiders in May 2010. He played in seven games for them during the 2010 season. He gained 11 yards running and 9 yards receiving. He was released by the Raiders in September 2011, which marked the end of his professional football career.

Michael Bennett's NFL Stats