Former Chicago Bears RB Cedric Benson has died.
The former NFL running back involved in a motorcycle accident in Texas. Benson was one of the most prolific rushers in both NCAA and the University of Texas history.
Benson’s attorney, Sam Bassett, was informed of the accident late Saturday night, though he was told no details to what caused the fatal crash. As reported by AP, Bassett said “Cedric was not just a client, he was my friend. He was immensely talented and fierce on the football field, yet most have no idea the difficulties he overcame to achieve what he did. Through imperfect in some respects, once Cedric was your friend, you understood how kind, sensitive, and loyal he was as a man.”
Drafted No. 4 overall by the Chicago Bears in 2005, Benson helped the Chicago Bears become NFC Champions in 2006 and reach Super Bowl XLI where they were defeated by the Colts 29-17. During his NFL career, Benson played with three NFL teams including the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers. He retired in 2012 with over 6,000 yards rushing and 46 touchdowns.
Benson, always the athlete was drafted 370th overall by the L.A. Dodgers in the 2001 MLB Draft. While he never spent any time in the major leagues, he spent time in the summer league at Vero Beach and played with the Gulf Coast League Dodgers.
During Benson’s final season in the NFL, he signed a 1-year contract with the Green Bay Packers worth $825,000. Less than two months later Benson suffered a Lisfranic injury to his foot and was placed on the I.R. It was his final season.
In September 2016, Benson told WindyCityGridiron.com “No year in Chicago I was happy.”
With Texas, Benson played for the Longhorns from 2001-2004, and his 5,540 yards rank second at the university and ninth overall in NCAA history. He’s the only player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons. Benson joined the University of Texas Hall of Honor in 2014.
Following his retirement, Benson set up a nonprofit charity organization, Nurturing Underprivileged Families Cultivating Educational Development or NUFCED. According to the website, “Cedric Benson’s nonprofit foundation, NUFCED, helps nurture underprivileged families and cultivates educational development through community and school programs across the State of Texas.”
Cedric Benson was 36.
