Michael Bennett Jr., born on November 13, 1985, in Avondale, Louisiana, is a former professional American football defensive end who made a significant impact in the National Football League (NFL) over a decade-long career.
He earned the nickname “Black Santa” for his generous community involvement and larger-than-life presence both on and off the field.
He played college football at Texas A&M University, where his inconsistent performance kept him out of the NFL Draft, leading him to sign as an undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks in 2009.
Standing at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing around 274 pounds, Bennett was a versatile defender capable of disrupting offenses from multiple positions.
Beyond football, he became a vocal advocate for social justice, kneeling during the national anthem in 2017 to protest racial injustice, inspired by events like the Charlottesville rally.
After retiring in 2020, Bennett transitioned into design, podcasting, and philanthropy, partnering with his wife, Pele, on the “Mouthpeace” podcast to discuss family, culture, and societal issues.
Siblings
Michael has a younger brother, Martellus Bennett, who carved out his own successful path in the NFL as a tight end.
Born on March 10, 1986, Martellus followed in Michael’s footsteps athletically, playing college football at Texas A&M before being selected in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
The brothers, often dubbed the “Bennett brothers,” were a rare pair of elite siblings in the league, both earning Pro Bowl honors and capturing public attention for their unfiltered personalities and creative pursuits.
Martellus, nicknamed “The Black Unicorn,” played for teams including the Cowboys, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, and Green Bay Packers, winning Super Bowl LI with the Patriots in 2017.
Off the field, the duo collaborated on ventures like animation and storytelling, with Martellus founding The Imagination Agency, a children’s book publishing company.
The Bennett family extends further with three other brothers, Donte Bennett, Reshaud Bennett, and an additional sibling, alongside two sisters, Ashley Bennett and Renekia Leathers.
Career
Bennett’s NFL odyssey began humbly with the Seattle Seahawks, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in April 2009, envisioning him as a developmental left defensive end.
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After limited early playing time, he was waived and claimed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in September 2010, where he blossomed into a starter.
His breakout came in 2012, amassing career-high 9 sacks, 41 tackles, and 3 forced fumbles, establishing himself as a disruptive force.
This performance prompted his return to Seattle in March 2013 on a one-year, $4.8 million deal, where he played a pivotal role in the Seahawks’ historic “Legion of Boom” defense.
Despite a torn rotator cuff that year, Bennett contributed to the unit’s league-leading rankings, culminating in a Super Bowl XLVIII victory over the Denver Broncos.
Re-signed to a lucrative four-year extension worth $28.5 million, he continued terrorizing quarterbacks, including a standout 2015 game with 3.5 sacks against the San Francisco 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
In 2016, he inked another three-year, $31.5 million extension, but his tenure grew tumultuous amid contract disputes and activism.
Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2018, he won a second ring in Super Bowl LII before short stints with the New England Patriots, where he faced a one-week suspension for conduct detrimental, and the Dallas Cowboys in 2019.
Over 156 games, Bennett tallied 69.5 sacks, 315 tackles, and 12 forced fumbles, retiring in June 2020 at age 34 after a nomadic final chapter.
Accolades
Bennett’s on-field excellence earned him widespread recognition, headlined by three Pro Bowl selections in 2014, 2015, and 2016, where he showcased his pass-rushing prowess against the league’s best.
He was named the Pro Bowl Defensive MVP in 2016, a testament to his dominance in all-star competition.
His crowning achievement came with the Seattle Seahawks, contributing to their Super Bowl XLVIII triumph in 2014 and reaching Super Bowl XLIX the following year, though they fell to the Patriots.
In 2015, his 3.5-sack performance against the 49ers not only secured a 20-3 win but also garnered him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, while Pro Football Focus ranked him ninth among edge defenders that season.
Bennett’s career totals of 69.5 sacks placed him among the era’s top defensive ends, and he ranked 59th on the NFL Top 100 Players list in 2016.
Off the field, his advocacy led to a nomination for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2017, honoring his community work in Seattle, Houston, and Honolulu through initiatives like Champions of Change, co-founded with Seahawks alumni.
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