Cedric Benson
Encyclopedia
Cedric Myron Benson is an American football
running back
for the Cincinnati Bengals
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears
fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
for the University of Texas at Austin
.
, and finished his career with 8,423 rushing yards (the most in Texas 5A history and the fourth most in Texas high school football
history). He led his team to three consecutive State Championships, and rushed for a total of 15 touchdowns in the three championship games. Cedric rushed for more than 1,900 yards in only 9 games. He was the first high school player to ever make the cover of Dave Campbell's Texas Football
annual magazine. Cedric was also a center fielder
on the baseball
team. As a senior, in District 4-5A games, he hit .361 with 4 home run
s and 14 RBIs
.
in the 12th round (370th overall) of the 2001 MLB Draft
. While Benson did not play in the major leagues, he spent his time with the Dodgers playing in their summer league at Vero Beach. He also played with the Gulf Coast League Dodgers. In 25 at bats he had 5 hits, 1 run, 3 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 RBIs. In 2003, Benson left the Dodgers to concentrate on his football career.
at the University of Texas at Austin
, where he received the Doak Walker Award
as the nation's top running back in 2004. He finished his college career
with 5,540 rushing yards to rank sixth all time in NCAA Division I-A history, and second only to Ricky Williams
in school history. Benson was a 2004 All-America
selection.
He has often been compared to Ricky Williams, due to their similarities in running style, college choice, legal complications, and superficial appearance (roughly the same size and build coming out of college, and both had dreadlocks
early in their careers), and the fact that they had both been minor league baseball players.
While attending the University of Texas, Benson majored in social work
and sociology
. During his latter years, he earned membership into the Texas' Athletics Director's Academic Honor Roll, and the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll in fall of 2003. Also, while in college, Benson was arrested twice, once for possession of marijuana and the other for criminal trespass. The marijuana case was dropped after a friend came forward and claimed ownership. He received 8 days in jail for the trespass conviction although he spent no time in jail other than the day of arrest due to overcrowding in Travis County Jail. He was forced to serve a one half game suspension against Baylor.
selected Benson as the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft
, making him the highest drafted Bears player since Dan Hampton
in 1979
. The Bears’ organization and Benson could not come to terms on a contract, causing him to miss the entire Bears' training camp. After a thirty-six day hold-out, Benson signed a five-year contract worth thirty-five million dollars. The Bears wished to make Benson their feature running back, but his lengthy contract impasse had caused him to miss a significant portion of practice. Benson claims that he received a cold reception upon his return because he claimed he would be starting by the third game despite holding out and not practicing. Jay Glazer
reported that certain players even attempted to intentionally injure him during drills, though former Bears guard Ruben Brown
has denied such claims.
The team temporarily made Thomas Jones
their featured running back for beginning of the 2005 season
. Jones' performance impressed the Bears' coaching staff, and earned him the top spot on the team's depth-chart for the next two seasons. Benson occasionally received playtime, and he rushed for eighty yards on sixteen carries against the New Orleans Saints
during his best game. However, shortly afterwards, he suffered a medial collateral ligament
sprain and missed most of the remaining season.
After the 2005 season
, the Bears considered making Benson the team's featured running back after Thomas Jones was unhappy with his current contract status. The team's plans went astray when Benson injured his shoulder
after colliding with Brian Urlacher
during a routine scrimmage
. Although the injury was not serious, it placed Benson on the sidelines for a majority of the preseason.
Although Benson fully recovered from his injury, Lovie Smith
selected Jones as the Bears' starter. Benson scored his first two touchdowns during week five of the 2006 season
, against the Buffalo Bills
. In a game against the New England Patriots
during week twelve of the 2006 Chicago Bears season, Benson collided with linebacker Junior Seau
, causing Seau to fall down and fracture his forearm.
Days later, Benson challenged Lovie Smith’s coaching by remarking, "the NFL is not like high school or college, but the best players don't always get on the field." The following week, Benson out rushed Jones and scored a vital touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings
. He began to receive more carries as the weeks progressed, and managed to rush for over 100 yards against the Green Bay Packers
.
Benson became the Bears' secondary running back again during the playoffs
. In the 2006 NFC Championship game against the New Orleans Saints, Benson scored a fourth quarter touchdown and totaled 60 yards. Though he was given a majority of the team's carries, his counterpart, Jones, amassed two touchdowns and 123 rushing yards. In the team's following game, Super Bowl XLI
, Benson sustained a knee injury in the first half, and missed the remainder of the game.
Lovie Smith named Benson as the Bears' starting running back after the team traded Thomas Jones to the New York Jets
. Benson struggled throughout the preseason, but received enough support from his teammates and coaches to retain his starting position. He amassed only forty-two yards in his first regular season game and committed a costly turnover. However, Benson rebounded with a 101-yard performance during his next start. After several inconsistent games, Benson began to stabilize after the bye week. In one of his best games of the season, Benson rushed for eighty-nine yards and scored one touchdown on eleven attempts. He averaged 5.8 yards in his next game, but sustained a season-ending ankle
injury. Benson, who had amassed 647 yards and four touchdowns, was eventually relieved by Adrian N. Peterson.
Jerry Angelo
, the Bears' general manager
, had expressed interest in acquiring a new running back to revitalize the Bears' running game, which finished last in yards in the league. Upon hearing the news, Benson commented, “You all know the competition that goes on around here. It doesn’t matter to me. Maybe somebody else can get some criticism.” On June 9, 2008, Benson was released by the Bears following his second alcohol-related arrest in five weeks.
In October 2009, Benson confirmed that shortly before he was released by the Bears, he had been diagnosed with Celiac disease
.
on September 30, 2008. DeDe Dorsey
was placed on injured reserve
and Chris Perry was the starter. Benson's season began in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys
, rushing 10 times for 30 yards. He became the starting back for the Bengals in Week 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers
. Benson rushed 14 times for 52 yards in his first career start as a Bengal, and ran over Steelers safety Troy Polamalu
, giving the Pro Bowler a concussion. In the following 35–6 loss to the Houston Texans
, he totaled 49 yards on 13 carries and had two receptions for 20 yards. The Bengals picked up their first victory of the season in a 21–19 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars
, with Benson carrying 24 times for 104 yards and a touchdown. Benson hit his stride in the Bengals' three-game winning streak at the end of the season, gashing the Washington Redskins in week 15 with 161 all purpose yards, including 88 yards receiving (79 of which came on a screen pass). In week 16, Benson dominated the Cleveland Browns, rushing for 171 yards. In the final game of the season against Kansas City, Benson had 111 yards on 25 carries. In the twelve games he was active during the 2008 season, Benson had 932 all-purpose yards: 747 rushing and 185 receiving.
A free agent
after the 2008 season, Benson visited with the Houston Texans before signing a two-year, $7 million contract with the Bengals on March 3, 2009.
Entering week 8 of the 2009 season, Benson had 164 carries for an NFL best 720 yards (4.4 per carry average). In week 5, he became the first 100-yard rusher against the Baltimore Ravens
in 40 games, when he rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown. In week 7, Benson faced his former team, the Chicago Bears, and rushed for a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown.
Benson went on to record his first 1,000 yard rushing season and he set a Bengals franchise record with six games with over 100 rushing yards. He finished the season as the NFL's 8th leading rusher with 1,251 yards, despite only playing 13 games. He then set a Bengals postseason record with 169 rushing yards in their 24–14 loss to the New York Jets
.
, Benson was arrested for allegedly operating a boat while intoxicated and resisting arrest. On May 3, 2008, the incident occurred near Austin, Texas
by the Lower Colorado River Authority
during a late night safety inspection. The official police report cited that Benson had failed a field sobriety test, and became hostile towards the police. The officers arrested Benson, and proceeded to use pepper-spray
after he forcefully resisted arrest. Benson was later detained for the night, and charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest
.
Benson has since refuted the charges against him, and stated he requested to take a follow-up field sobriety test on land after failing the initial one. Benson has further accused the officers of abusing him, stating, “I’m not handcuffed. I’m not under arrest. I’m not threatening him. I’m not pushing him. I’m not touching him. And he sprays me right in the eye.” He also asserts that officers continuously struck his ankles and feet to prevent him from walking properly. A female passenger on Benson's boat also claims to have witnessed the abuse and called her father out of fear for Benson's safety. Her fiance, also on the boat, may have dozens of pictures confirming Benson's account.
Upon hearing about the incident, Bears' head coach Lovie Smith
stated, “I haven’t had a chance to speak with Cedric yet, but anytime we’re talking about one of our players getting arrested, you’re disappointed in it,” and added “What we’re going to do from here, I’ll go back and try to get as much information as I possibly can and go from there.” Benson was later found innocent by an Austin grand jury.
Benson was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Austin on June 7, 2008. While returning from a restaurant with his girlfriend, police claim that Benson drove through a red light, and failed a field sobriety test. Police claim he later refused to take a breath or blood test
to determine his blood alcohol level. Police proceeded to detain Benson, and later released him on bond. Benson has denied the police officers' allegations, and insisted that he 'aced' the field test. Bears general manager
Jerry Angelo
commented, “It’s unfortunate. Disappointment is too much an often used word when we’re talking about Cedric. The No. 1 lesson for every player is protect your job. We’re all held accountable for our actions. I’m not going to say any more than that until we know for sure what the facts are.” On the following Monday, Benson was waived from the Bears. Angelo commented on the release, stating ”Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate... As I said this past weekend, you have to protect your job. Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions."
Benson was later ordered by a county judge to put a built-in ignition interlock breathalyzer in his car. He was also told to start drug counseling classes. Benson was cleared of all charges in September, after appearing before two grand juries in Travis County.
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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
of 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 was drafted by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.
Early years
Benson began to emerge as a football stand-out in the eighth grade while attending Abell Junior High School in Midland, Texas under Coach Chris McKinney. Benson attended Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, TexasMidland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
, and finished his career with 8,423 rushing yards (the most in Texas 5A history and the fourth most in Texas high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
history). He led his team to three consecutive State Championships, and rushed for a total of 15 touchdowns in the three championship games. Cedric rushed for more than 1,900 yards in only 9 games. He was the first high school player to ever make the cover of Dave Campbell's Texas Football
Dave Campbell's Texas Football
Dave Campbell's Texas Football is an annual publication, previewing football teams in the state of Texas.It is unique in that it is the only publication to preview every team in Texas , from the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, through every level of college football, to the roughly 1,400...
annual magazine. Cedric was also a center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
on the baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team. As a senior, in District 4-5A games, he hit .361 with 4 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 14 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
.
Baseball career
Benson was drafted by the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in the 12th round (370th overall) of the 2001 MLB Draft
2001 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Background:The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be...
. While Benson did not play in the major leagues, he spent his time with the Dodgers playing in their summer league at Vero Beach. He also played with the Gulf Coast League Dodgers. In 25 at bats he had 5 hits, 1 run, 3 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 RBIs. In 2003, Benson left the Dodgers to concentrate on his football career.
College career
Benson was a four-year starterStarting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, where he received the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
as the nation's top running back in 2004. He finished his college career
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
with 5,540 rushing yards to rank sixth all time in NCAA Division I-A history, and second only to Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
in school history. Benson was a 2004 All-America
2004 College Football All-America Team
The 2004 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
selection.
He has often been compared to Ricky Williams, due to their similarities in running style, college choice, legal complications, and superficial appearance (roughly the same size and build coming out of college, and both had dreadlocks
Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks, also called locks, a ras, dreads, "rasta" or Jata , are matted coils of hair. Dreadlocks are usually intentionally formed; because of the variety of different hair textures, various methods are used to encourage the formation of locks such as backcombing...
early in their careers), and the fact that they had both been minor league baseball players.
While attending the University of Texas, Benson majored in social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
and sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
. During his latter years, he earned membership into the Texas' Athletics Director's Academic Honor Roll, and the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll in fall of 2003. Also, while in college, Benson was arrested twice, once for possession of marijuana and the other for criminal trespass. The marijuana case was dropped after a friend came forward and claimed ownership. He received 8 days in jail for the trespass conviction although he spent no time in jail other than the day of arrest due to overcrowding in Travis County Jail. He was forced to serve a one half game suspension against Baylor.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
selected Benson as the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
, making him the highest drafted Bears player since Dan Hampton
Dan Hampton
Daniel Oliver Hampton also known as "Danimal" is a retired Hall of Fame American football defensive tackle who played twelve seasons for the Chicago Bears from 1979 to 1990 in the National Football League. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002...
in 1979
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 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 May 3–4, 1979...
. The Bears’ organization and Benson could not come to terms on a contract, causing him to miss the entire Bears' training camp. After a thirty-six day hold-out, Benson signed a five-year contract worth thirty-five million dollars. The Bears wished to make Benson their feature running back, but his lengthy contract impasse had caused him to miss a significant portion of practice. Benson claims that he received a cold reception upon his return because he claimed he would be starting by the third game despite holding out and not practicing. Jay Glazer
Jay Glazer
Jay Glazer is an American senior writer for FoxSports.com and is a sideline reporter for the NFL on Fox since 2004. He is also the studio host, alongside Frank Trigg, on Fox Sport Net's PRIDE Fighting Championship show. Currently, he is the "NFL insider" for Fox NFL Sunday and hosts Pros vs Joes...
reported that certain players even attempted to intentionally injure him during drills, though former Bears guard Ruben Brown
Ruben Brown
Ruben Parnell Brown is a former American football guard of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 14th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh....
has denied such claims.
Thomas Jones (football player)
Thomas Quinn Jones is an American National Football League running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals seventh overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of Virginia. Jones has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago...
their featured running back for beginning of the 2005 season
2005 Chicago Bears season
-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against-Week 1: at Washington Redskins:-Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions:-Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals:-Week 5: at Cleveland Browns:...
. Jones' performance impressed the Bears' coaching staff, and earned him the top spot on the team's depth-chart for the next two seasons. Benson occasionally received playtime, and he rushed for eighty yards on sixteen carries against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
during his best game. However, shortly afterwards, he suffered a medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
sprain and missed most of the remaining season.
After the 2005 season
2005 Chicago Bears season
-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against-Week 1: at Washington Redskins:-Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions:-Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals:-Week 5: at Cleveland Browns:...
, the Bears considered making Benson the team's featured running back after Thomas Jones was unhappy with his current contract status. The team's plans went astray when Benson injured his shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
after colliding with Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher
Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...
during a routine scrimmage
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
. Although the injury was not serious, it placed Benson on the sidelines for a majority of the preseason.
Although Benson fully recovered from his injury, Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
selected Jones as the Bears' starter. Benson scored his first two touchdowns during week five of the 2006 season
2006 Chicago Bears season
The 2006 Chicago Bears season was their 87th regular season and 25th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 13-3 regular season record, the best in the NFC, improving on their previous year’s record of 11-5...
, against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In a game against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
during week twelve of the 2006 Chicago Bears season, Benson collided with linebacker Junior Seau
Junior Seau
Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers during the 1990 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California and was the progenitor of the "NFL-USC linebacker".A ten-time All-Pro and...
, causing Seau to fall down and fracture his forearm.
Days later, Benson challenged Lovie Smith’s coaching by remarking, "the NFL is not like high school or college, but the best players don't always get on the field." The following week, Benson out rushed Jones and scored a vital touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. He began to receive more carries as the weeks progressed, and managed to rush for over 100 yards against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
Benson became the Bears' secondary running back again during the playoffs
NFL playoffs, 2005-06
The National Football League playoffs for the 2005 season began on January 7, 2006 and led up to Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan....
. In the 2006 NFC Championship game against the New Orleans Saints, Benson scored a fourth quarter touchdown and totaled 60 yards. Though he was given a majority of the team's carries, his counterpart, Jones, amassed two touchdowns and 123 rushing yards. In the team's following game, Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season...
, Benson sustained a knee injury in the first half, and missed the remainder of the game.
Lovie Smith named Benson as the Bears' starting running back after the team traded Thomas Jones to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Benson struggled throughout the preseason, but received enough support from his teammates and coaches to retain his starting position. He amassed only forty-two yards in his first regular season game and committed a costly turnover. However, Benson rebounded with a 101-yard performance during his next start. After several inconsistent games, Benson began to stabilize after the bye week. In one of his best games of the season, Benson rushed for eighty-nine yards and scored one touchdown on eleven attempts. He averaged 5.8 yards in his next game, but sustained a season-ending ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
injury. Benson, who had amassed 647 yards and four touchdowns, was eventually relieved by Adrian N. Peterson.
Jerry Angelo
Jerry Angelo
Jerry Angelo is the General Manager for the National Football League's Chicago Bears. He has held the role since 2001. Prior to joining the Chicago Bears, Angelo spent 14 years overseeing Tampa Bay Buccaneers' scouting department as their Director of Player Personnel...
, the Bears' general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
, had expressed interest in acquiring a new running back to revitalize the Bears' running game, which finished last in yards in the league. Upon hearing the news, Benson commented, “You all know the competition that goes on around here. It doesn’t matter to me. Maybe somebody else can get some criticism.” On June 9, 2008, Benson was released by the Bears following his second alcohol-related arrest in five weeks.
In October 2009, Benson confirmed that shortly before he was released by the Bears, he had been diagnosed with Celiac disease
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
.
Cincinnati Bengals
Shortly after the grand jury failed to indict him on both incidents in Austin, Benson signed a one-year, $520,000 contract with the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on September 30, 2008. DeDe Dorsey
DeDe Dorsey
DeDe Dorsey is an American football running back for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
and Chris Perry was the starter. Benson's season began in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, rushing 10 times for 30 yards. He became the starting back for the Bengals in Week 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. Benson rushed 14 times for 52 yards in his first career start as a Bengal, and ran over Steelers safety Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...
, giving the Pro Bowler a concussion. In the following 35–6 loss to the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, he totaled 49 yards on 13 carries and had two receptions for 20 yards. The Bengals picked up their first victory of the season in a 21–19 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, with Benson carrying 24 times for 104 yards and a touchdown. Benson hit his stride in the Bengals' three-game winning streak at the end of the season, gashing the Washington Redskins in week 15 with 161 all purpose yards, including 88 yards receiving (79 of which came on a screen pass). In week 16, Benson dominated the Cleveland Browns, rushing for 171 yards. In the final game of the season against Kansas City, Benson had 111 yards on 25 carries. In the twelve games he was active during the 2008 season, Benson had 932 all-purpose yards: 747 rushing and 185 receiving.
A free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
after the 2008 season, Benson visited with the Houston Texans before signing a two-year, $7 million contract with the Bengals on March 3, 2009.
Entering week 8 of the 2009 season, Benson had 164 carries for an NFL best 720 yards (4.4 per carry average). In week 5, he became the first 100-yard rusher against the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
in 40 games, when he rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown. In week 7, Benson faced his former team, the Chicago Bears, and rushed for a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown.
Benson went on to record his first 1,000 yard rushing season and he set a Bengals franchise record with six games with over 100 rushing yards. He finished the season as the NFL's 8th leading rusher with 1,251 yards, despite only playing 13 games. He then set a Bengals postseason record with 169 rushing yards in their 24–14 loss to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Arrests in 2008
Before the start of the 2008 season2008 Chicago Bears season
The 2008 Chicago Bears season is the franchise's 89th regular season in the National Football League. They finished the 2008 season with a 9-7 record, improving upon their 7-9 record from the 2007 season...
, Benson was arrested for allegedly operating a boat while intoxicated and resisting arrest. On May 3, 2008, the incident occurred near Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
by the Lower Colorado River Authority
Lower Colorado River Authority
The Lower Colorado River Authority or LCRA is a nonprofit public utility that was created in November 1934 by the Texas Legislature. LCRA's mission is to protect people, property and the environment by providing public services for more than one million people in Central and Southeast Texas...
during a late night safety inspection. The official police report cited that Benson had failed a field sobriety test, and became hostile towards the police. The officers arrested Benson, and proceeded to use pepper-spray
Mace (spray)
Chemical Mace is a tear gas in the form of an aerosol spray which propels a lachrymatory agent mixed with a volatile solvent. It is sometimes used as a self-defense device...
after he forcefully resisted arrest. Benson was later detained for the night, and charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest
Resisting arrest
Resisting arrest is a term used to describe a criminal charge against an individual who has committed, depending on the jurisdiction, at least one of the following acts:* threatening a police officer with physical violence while being arrested...
.
Benson has since refuted the charges against him, and stated he requested to take a follow-up field sobriety test on land after failing the initial one. Benson has further accused the officers of abusing him, stating, “I’m not handcuffed. I’m not under arrest. I’m not threatening him. I’m not pushing him. I’m not touching him. And he sprays me right in the eye.” He also asserts that officers continuously struck his ankles and feet to prevent him from walking properly. A female passenger on Benson's boat also claims to have witnessed the abuse and called her father out of fear for Benson's safety. Her fiance, also on the boat, may have dozens of pictures confirming Benson's account.
Upon hearing about the incident, Bears' head coach Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
stated, “I haven’t had a chance to speak with Cedric yet, but anytime we’re talking about one of our players getting arrested, you’re disappointed in it,” and added “What we’re going to do from here, I’ll go back and try to get as much information as I possibly can and go from there.” Benson was later found innocent by an Austin grand jury.
Benson was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Austin on June 7, 2008. While returning from a restaurant with his girlfriend, police claim that Benson drove through a red light, and failed a field sobriety test. Police claim he later refused to take a breath or blood test
Blood test
A blood test is a laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample that is usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a needle, or via fingerprick....
to determine his blood alcohol level. Police proceeded to detain Benson, and later released him on bond. Benson has denied the police officers' allegations, and insisted that he 'aced' the field test. Bears general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Jerry Angelo
Jerry Angelo
Jerry Angelo is the General Manager for the National Football League's Chicago Bears. He has held the role since 2001. Prior to joining the Chicago Bears, Angelo spent 14 years overseeing Tampa Bay Buccaneers' scouting department as their Director of Player Personnel...
commented, “It’s unfortunate. Disappointment is too much an often used word when we’re talking about Cedric. The No. 1 lesson for every player is protect your job. We’re all held accountable for our actions. I’m not going to say any more than that until we know for sure what the facts are.” On the following Monday, Benson was waived from the Bears. Angelo commented on the release, stating ”Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate... As I said this past weekend, you have to protect your job. Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions."
Benson was later ordered by a county judge to put a built-in ignition interlock breathalyzer in his car. He was also told to start drug counseling classes. Benson was cleared of all charges in September, after appearing before two grand juries in Travis County.