Drew Bennett
Encyclopedia
Andrew Russell "Drew" Bennett (born August 26, 1978) is a former American football
wide receiver
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans
as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football
at UCLA
.
Bennett was also a member of the St. Louis Rams
and Baltimore Ravens
. He retired prior to the 2009 season due to a knee injury.
in Orinda, California
and was a three sport standout in football, baseball, and basketball. As a senior football quarterback, he won first team All-League and second team All-Bay Area honors, after he passed for 2,308 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for six touchdowns. In baseball, he batted .430 and won first team All-League honors.
and elected to redshirt
the 1996 season. He was awarded a scholarship for the 1997 season and switched positions to become a wide receiver for his junior year. He played both wide receiver and quarterback
in his senior season and won the Paul I. Wellman Award for All-Around Excellence. He graduated from UCLA with a major
in Political Science
and is also a member of the Sigma Chi
fraternity
.
, becoming a full-time starter. During the 2004 season
he tied an NFL record by scoring eight touchdown
s in a three-game span.
on July 24, 2009 to a one-year, $745,000 contract. Due to injury Drew Bennett retired on July 26, 2009 because a previous knee condition flared up.
.
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...
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...
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 signed by the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
as an undrafted free agent in 2001. 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...
at UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
.
Bennett was also a member of the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
and 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...
. He retired prior to the 2009 season due to a knee injury.
Early years
Bennett attended Miramonte High SchoolMiramonte High School
Miramonte High School is a public high school located in Orinda, California. It is part of the Acalanes Union High School District, which has a college preparatory program, with 15 Advanced Placement courses offered. Over 98% of its graduates go on to college. 320 students graduated in 2005, with...
in Orinda, California
Orinda, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Orinda had a population of 17,643. The population density was 1,389.5 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Orinda was 14,533 White, 149 African American, 22 Native American, 2,016 Asian, 24 Pacific Islander, 122 from other races, and...
and was a three sport standout in football, baseball, and basketball. As a senior football quarterback, he won first team All-League and second team All-Bay Area honors, after he passed for 2,308 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for six touchdowns. In baseball, he batted .430 and won first team All-League honors.
College career
Bennett was offered to play at Princeton University in New Jersey, but turned it down to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was a walk on as a quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and elected to redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
the 1996 season. He was awarded a scholarship for the 1997 season and switched positions to become a wide receiver for his junior year. He played both wide receiver and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in his senior season and won the Paul I. Wellman Award for All-Around Excellence. He graduated from UCLA with a major
Academic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and is also a member of the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
.
Tennessee Titans
From 2001 to 2006, Bennett played wide receiver for the Tennessee TitansTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, becoming a full-time starter. During the 2004 season
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
he tied an NFL record by scoring eight touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s in a three-game span.
St. Louis Rams
In 2007, Bennett became a free agent and signed with the Saint Louis Rams. He signed a six-year deal worth $30 million with $10 million guaranteed. He played two seasons with the Rams before being released on February 25, 2009.Baltimore Ravens
Bennett signed with the Baltimore RavensBaltimore 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...
on July 24, 2009 to a one-year, $745,000 contract. Due to injury Drew Bennett retired on July 26, 2009 because a previous knee condition flared up.
Post-NFL
Drew Bennett has appeared on "ESPN's First Take" (hosted by Jay Crawford) as recently as March 24, 2010 as a "First Take" NFL Analyst alongside Bobby CarpenterBobby Carpenter
Bobby, or Bob Carpenter may refer to:*Bobby Carpenter , Former NHL hockey player*Bobby Carpenter , American football linebacker*Bob Carpenter *Bob Carpenter...
.