Michael Bennett Retires
July 21st, 2020
One of Joe’s favorite pictures taken by the JoeBucsFan.com staff photographer in Hawaii. Michael Bennett (2nd from left) was so eager to be photographed with his former Bucs teammates at the 2016 Pro Bowl.
Joe couldn’t let this go.
A player whose mishandling changed the future of the Bucs organization has retired.
Back in 2012, defensive end/defensive tackle Michael Bennett was downright dominant for Tampa Bay’s New Schiano Order. He was a monster against the run, and was ferocious rushing the passer inside and outside. His numbers were strong but didn’t do him justice.
Bennett was a huge reason those Bucs were No. 1-ranked against the run, and he did his job against the pass. He didn’t have Jason Pierre-Paul rushing opposite him; it was the late Daniel Te’o-Nesheim.
Bennett turned 27 during that season and the Bucs let him walk in free agency. Off he went to Seattle on a one-year contract — for no good reason.
He didn’t want to leave and he made that clear. Gerald McCoy was one of Bennett’s best friends and their wives were true BFFs.
Five years after Bennett walked, the Bucs finally replaced him when they traded for JPP. Before that, it was a struggle and a historic stain on the franchise.
A Super Bowl ring landed on Bennett’s finger during his first Seattle season, and he would have had another a year later if not for the wild finish of that Pats-Seahawks classic. Bennett hit Tom Brady four times in that game and pressured him several others.
A role player last year in New England and Dallas with 6 1/2 sacks, Bennett has retired, based on his recent Instagram writings. Eleven years and three Pro Bowls as an undrafted free agent is a hell of a career.
Joe has gotten many answers over the years about why the Bucs let Bennett walk. Many have contradicted each other, so the truth is out there somewhere.
Joe has asked Bennett multiple times. His answer remains the same; he doesn’t know and wanted to stay in Tampa. Joe sure hopes Team Glazer learned a valuable lesson.
July 21st, 2020 at 10:03 am
No lessons learned for the glazer babies. A full decade of cellar dweller results speaks for itself.
July 21st, 2020 at 10:03 am
The truth has been out there for years!!!!!!!! Its only surprising that some will not hold some accountable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its time for the much request ” Realist Repost “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
July 29th, 2017 at 1:20 pm
Its not “in a way” he did!!!!!! And it was dominik that orchestrated the medical staff to “fail” M Bennet so dominik could then crowbar in HIS draft picks!!!!!!!
and when you look at that deep DE draft and know that the Bucs walked away with adrain slowborn and bowers,,,,,,,,
Worst GM in Buc history!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 21st, 2020 at 10:04 am
Smart…he has his nest egg. He knows the score on this season and what is happening in the environment. Retire..chill for a year vacation until they have a vaccine, and have a great future. Good luck, Michael.
July 21st, 2020 at 10:23 am
We’re going to sign him at some point during the season.
July 21st, 2020 at 10:26 am
One of the dumbest things we did was let him walk when we could have signed him for not much. Even if his drafted replacement works out, you can’t have too many pass rushers. So dumb, probably exit A when Dominick is looking for another job.
July 21st, 2020 at 10:31 am
i hated seeing him leave. he was a dominate great buccaneer, best wishes micheal
July 21st, 2020 at 10:38 am
Did he retire for no good reason? Asking for a friend.
July 21st, 2020 at 10:54 am
Joe – I was gonna right something snarky but you threw a wet blanket on it. I mean that in a good way – your spot on analysis of the Bennett release just reminded me how asinine that move was…and for no good reason. Put me in a funk. Congrats to you Mr. Bennett!
July 21st, 2020 at 10:54 am
He was pretty much the eipitome of the American Dream. Average dude, got a college football gig, walked on undrafted to the NFL, and made it happen. I like it.
Probably a good time to retire if you’re on the fence, with the COVID and all.
That said, I’m happy to hear NO preseason games (advantage Bucs with Brady…glad we didn’t draft a rookie or change coaches). Also glad the owners and the NFLPA are making good progress. That should significantly increase guys chances of showing up and not opting out (e.g., D. Smith).
July 21st, 2020 at 10:55 am
No other franchise would let a 27 year old pro bowl pass rusher walk. They didn’t even franchise the guy. It is hard finding elite pass rushers in this league. Look how long it took for the Bucs to replace Bennett.
July 21st, 2020 at 11:00 am
Hindsight is 20/20. I had heard from someone on the football side in the building they liked him, but just weren’t sure about his injury. They whiffed on others coming after him hard, but did ask him to go back to them before signing with another team. They THOUGHT he was good with that. But the old tactic of once he is in YOUR building don’t let him get away. The Hawks obviously made him a pitch that convinced him to give the Bucs the finger. Dom was a risk taker…went after Revis as damaged good, but wasn’t willing to do it on Benett. Bucs lost…on BOTH Bennett and Revis (Lovie didn’t want him).
July 21st, 2020 at 11:04 am
Realist ..what is Dom’s record compared to the present bucs gm who wasted the number 1 pick in the entire draft. I think Licht has him beat as worst gm!
July 21st, 2020 at 11:10 am
I remember feeling shocked that his signing away from the Bucs wasn’t for more money, and feeling quite a let down every time I saw him on TV making a play.
July 21st, 2020 at 11:18 am
Steven007……
Ya beat me to it!
Well done!
July 21st, 2020 at 11:34 am
While I like most rip Dom for letting him go, How could Dom be so smart to find him and grow him then be so dumb to let him go?
July 21st, 2020 at 11:58 am
Can’t really see where JayMiss’s left hand is behind that girl…….
Wonder if he asked her out for an Uber and tacos afterward?
July 21st, 2020 at 12:07 pm
Steven,…anyone that is tired of the daily prep for the next season, that might be contemplating it, with a fat bank account would likely make the move now. Retire while you have your health, take a year of high life vacation, and when a vaccine is developed, he has the money to be among the first in line.
I don’t wonder why any of these millionaires that are tired of the grind, and have loved ones, including themselves, that would be in danger if they get the virus, wouldn’t want to hang it up.
July 21st, 2020 at 12:49 pm
Bennett was a “good” player throughout his career, why Joe continues to think he was the Messiah of defensive ends is bewildering, he was a good, not great, not exceptional player, the Bucs “let him walk” because of contract demands, no other reason, the “two” sides couldn’t come to a mutual agreement and Bennett chose “to walk”. So, please Joe, remove your lips from Bennett’s a$$ and quit kissing it.
July 21st, 2020 at 1:17 pm
Guy was a good player and a full-scale pain in the ***, IMO. Lasted around 6 games with Belichick and the Patriots. And that was after a decent season with Philly the year before but even they couldn’t wait to get rid of him. Then there was that ridiculous incident in Vegas, where he sooo obviously attempted to throw himself into the “social justice victim” column it was laughable.
July 21st, 2020 at 1:21 pm
2001, while I agree with everything you’ve said there, my comment was a joke. Doosh got it.
July 21st, 2020 at 2:10 pm
Seven…I did think when I saw the picture, how oddly appropriate that Jameis would be standing next to and closer to the girl than his fellow players, and not between his fellow players. Some things never change, it seems.
July 21st, 2020 at 2:23 pm
I’d argue that even had they kept Michael Bennett, he may have had a couple decent years under Schiano but as soon as Lovie came around the ability would be useless. As I have said countless times, it doesn’t matter how good your pass rush is when there is someone always wide open (15 yard cushion coverage)
July 21st, 2020 at 3:14 pm
Very nice career. Not a Hall of Famer but certainly one of the game’s biggest personalities. Now he’ll have all the time in the world to lie about police brutality.
July 21st, 2020 at 7:00 pm
The league is a better place today.
July 21st, 2020 at 8:07 pm
He wasn’t a Schiano man. Him and the pop star thought they could replace him with cheaper, younger draft picks, and used the shoulder as an excuse.
July 21st, 2020 at 8:28 pm
No good reason!!!!
It was probably Schiano….
Howard always liked Schiano and would love to blame Glazers but letting Michael Bennett go looks like something Schiano would do
July 21st, 2020 at 8:32 pm
LOL you can definitely see Bennett rubbing Schinao the wrong way
Well that terrible move took an ironic turn…
What would have been if Bennett had been a Schiano man?
July 21st, 2020 at 8:50 pm
Watch that Super Bowl loss to the Pats. Brady had zero time to pass until they started doubling and tripling Bennett at halftime.
July 21st, 2020 at 9:43 pm
First if all bennett only signed a one year deal with seattlefor 5 mil. If the bucs could not meet those contract demands when they had a boatload of cash says a whole more about the gm and decision makers at the time. Joe is right….no good reason.
For those of you who are calling him a kneeling POS….screw you. If you have not noticed, every league in america have players kneeling now. He11 soccer players around the world are kneeling before games. I know many of you want to ignore whats going on in the country and call him unamerican but the latest poll says 67% of americans agree with the blm movement. He11 the whole world agrees with it and that is why you saw the protest worldwide. So continue to cry about these athletes taking a stand/knee. I guess you wont be watching any sports for a long time. Good riddance!!!!
Enjoy retirement michael bennett. You have earned it.
July 21st, 2020 at 10:15 pm
Good player who we were idiots to let go. Who knows? Maybe if he had stayed in Tampa and not been influenced by the toxic whackjobs in Seattle, he would have never beaten up old ladies or written a book about how to make another race uncomfortable.
I don’t think that people are born as douchebags and I feel that their environment is a huge factor in how they develop. He was pretty much still a kid when he left and I don’t remember hearing a peep about any bad behaviour from this dude while he was here. It’s a damn shame that he left in more ways than one.
July 21st, 2020 at 10:30 pm
webster Says:
“… the latest poll says 67% of americans agree with the blm movement.”
.
.
Even if the poll isn’t politically slanted like most polls today, even if it is true, does not mean everyone else has to agree with it. I bet you think you are “woke.” Find out who is funding BLM, and then ask yourself if you want to support HIM.
The founders of BLM themselves admit that they are marxists, so I suppose you agree with brainwashing the masses and using them in a violent revolution, because that is what marxism is. That is what BLM is. That is what antifa is. Good job Webster. Go throw some bricks.
July 22nd, 2020 at 5:41 am
Nobody is naming Bowers? He is the main reason why Bennet was´t get a call from the bucs. Bowers was a falling 1st rounder who didn´t play at that level
July 22nd, 2020 at 9:22 am
Bushcoke
You are in the minority. Majority of americans and people around the world are not falling for the 30% who continue to cry. Again, EVERY sports league is allowing their players to kneel. Even nascar got rid of the confederate flag. So its obvious they are not concerned with the few a$$hole$ who will claim they wont watch because EVERY league knows 1. The revenue lost will be minimal if any and 2. They are better off without those type of people PERIOD. Good riddance!!!!
July 22nd, 2020 at 2:23 pm
@Webster
.
.
I spoke specifically about BLM, and you talk about something else. I couldn’t care less about the confederate flag or Nascar.
What is “Those type of peope?” People who think it’s disrespectful to kneel during the anthem? Why is it OK to be disrespectful to anybody? It is a part of the cancel culture, and it is not ok.
The kneeling is a part of the brainwashing which I DID talk about. Go throw bricks.
July 23rd, 2020 at 3:34 pm
@ bush coke
Those type of people mean YOU. Crying about black people bringing attention to a problem that has been going on for decades. Yes BLM. If you dont like it tough. EVERY league is supporting it and like i said they ccouldnt care less if you take you wittle ball and go home. You type of people are not important to the leagues. You are minority. And if you think nascar and the confederate flag has nothing to do with BLM when in their statement to remove the flag from the races they specifically mentioned BLM, then you are a bigger idiot than your post already suggest. Enjoy watching baseball, football, basketball, soccer etc players kneel. Bye bye snow flake