Bennie Blades
Encyclopedia
Horatio Benedict "Bennie" Blades Sr. (born September 3, 1966) is a former American football
cornerback
and safety
in the National Football League
. He played college football at the University of Miami
.
's winning the 1987 NCAA
National Championship. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award
in that year and, in 2006, was named to the College Football Hall of Fame
for his play at the University of Miami. He shares the NCAA single season interception record with fellow Miami Hurricane Sean Taylor
.
During his play at Miami he and the defensive secondary were nicknamed "Bennie and the Jets," for their speed, power, ability & stand-out defensive play. He is also remembered for taunting and intimidating opposing players.
Blades was interviewed about his time at the University of Miami for the documentary The U
, which premiered December 12, 2009 on ESPN
.
and spent ten seasons in the NFL. He played for the Detroit Lions
from 1988–1996 and the 1997 season with the Seattle Seahawks
, teaming up with his older brother, wide receiver
Brian Blades
, who also played collegiate football at the University of Miami.
During his time with the Lions, Blades was considered one of the most physical defensive backs in the NFL, even playing as a linebacker in certain passing situations toward the end of his career. Blades is widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive backs in Lions' history.
The Lions selected Blades with the third overall pick in the 1988 NFL Draft, and he went on to earn NFL All-Rookie honors for the 1988 season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1991 - in addition to receiving First-Team All-NFL and First-team All-NFC honors. He was the Lions’ Defensive MVP in 1992 and led the team with 132 tackles in 1996, which was one of three 100-tackle seasons he had in Detroit.
An underrated professional player, Blades was a key component to the Lions’ defense that helped the team claim two NFC Central titles, and a berth in the 1992 NFC Championship game. He was a defensive captain for five years in Detroit and his 815 career tackles place him second on the Lions’ all-time list.
linebacker
H. B. Blades
.
Bennie Blades and his brother Brian Blades
attended Piper High School
and played in the football program there.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
and safety
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played college football at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
University of Miami
Blades played a big part in the University of MiamiUniversity of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
's winning the 1987 NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
National Championship. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award
Jim Thorpe Award
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986...
in that year and, in 2006, was named to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
for his play at the University of Miami. He shares the NCAA single season interception record with fellow Miami Hurricane Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor was an American football free safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Taylor was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins...
.
During his play at Miami he and the defensive secondary were nicknamed "Bennie and the Jets," for their speed, power, ability & stand-out defensive play. He is also remembered for taunting and intimidating opposing players.
Blades was interviewed about his time at the University of Miami for the documentary The U
The U (documentary)
The U is a 2009 documentary film produced by Miami based media studio rakontur and directed by Billy Corben. The U covers the rise and dominance of the Miami Hurricanes football team during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
, which premiered December 12, 2009 on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
NFL career
Following his graduation from the University of Miami, Blades entered the 1988 NFL Draft1988 NFL Draft
The 1988 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24–25, 1988. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
and spent ten seasons in the NFL. He played for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
from 1988–1996 and the 1997 season with the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, teaming up with his older brother, wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Brian Blades
Brian Blades
Brian Keith Blades is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League.Blades graduated from Piper High School in Sunrise, Florida in 1983....
, who also played collegiate football at the University of Miami.
During his time with the Lions, Blades was considered one of the most physical defensive backs in the NFL, even playing as a linebacker in certain passing situations toward the end of his career. Blades is widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive backs in Lions' history.
The Lions selected Blades with the third overall pick in the 1988 NFL Draft, and he went on to earn NFL All-Rookie honors for the 1988 season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1991 - in addition to receiving First-Team All-NFL and First-team All-NFC honors. He was the Lions’ Defensive MVP in 1992 and led the team with 132 tackles in 1996, which was one of three 100-tackle seasons he had in Detroit.
An underrated professional player, Blades was a key component to the Lions’ defense that helped the team claim two NFC Central titles, and a berth in the 1992 NFC Championship game. He was a defensive captain for five years in Detroit and his 815 career tackles place him second on the Lions’ all-time list.
Personal
Blades' son is Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
H. B. Blades
H. B. Blades
Horatio Benedict Blades, Jr. is an American football linebacker he is currently a free agent in the National Football League...
.
Bennie Blades and his brother Brian Blades
Brian Blades
Brian Keith Blades is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League.Blades graduated from Piper High School in Sunrise, Florida in 1983....
attended Piper High School
Piper High School (Florida)
Piper High School is a public high school located in Sunrise, Florida, one of the nation's fastest growing cities. The school is a part of the Broward County Public Schools district....
and played in the football program there.
External links
- "Bennie Blades: The Interview", The Miamist, May 31, 2006.