Michael Bennett, the veteran and star defensive end, announced his retirement on Tuesday. He leaves the game with a solid resume: a Super Bowl champion and a 3-time Pro Bowler.
Bennett’s story is one of resilience. He was an undrafted free agent that signed with Seattle, where he was able to help the team win their first and only Super Bowl in 2014.
While he may not be one of the big names like Earl Thomas or Richard Sherman, he had an important role, racking up 19 quarterback hits and 14 tackles for loss in 2014, helping the team win the Super Bowl and earning a Pro Bowl nod.
But, who Michael Bennett really is is more than just a football player. As he puts it, “As an athlete, you want to be able to transcend sports. Not just be relevant in your sport, but be relevant in things that matter outside of sports. To be able to talk to kids about life, school, community, health. I want to empower young athletes to use their platform.”
This is something we can see by some of his actions. He co-authored, “Things That Make White People Uncomfortable,” is a supporter of Colin Kapernick and kneeled during the anthem, and spoke widely on political topics – especially ones pertaining to racism and him being Black.
Through all of his activism and other actions, Bennett has definitely gotten some haters who are happy to see him go. But, that’s no way to send a NFL player who spoke his mind off into retirement to focus on his family and becoming more involved in today’s social issues.
Even though Covid-19 has assisted in his decision to retire, it’s also given him time to decide how to use his newfound time. He says that he’s “looking forward to supporting them [his family]the same way they have me these past 11 years” and to use his platform to help fight social injustices in today’s age.
So with that, let’s all wish the 11-year veteran, Michael Bennett, a happy retirement!
