Earl Bennett
Encyclopedia
Earl Bennett is an American football
wide receiver
for the Chicago Bears
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Vanderbilt
.
chose Bennett in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He didn't catch a single pass his entire rookie year and was mostly on the sidelines.
2009 season
On April 2, 2009, Bennett's former teammate at Vanderbilt during the 2005 season, Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler
was acquired by the Bears via a trade with the Denver Broncos
. Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith
said Bennett would be given "every opportunity" to win a spot as a starting receiver alongside Devin Hester
in 2009. Bennett did just that during the course of mandatory mini-camp and training camp, as he showed an ability to make tough grabs in traffic and a willingness to go over the middle. He is currently the No. 2 Receiver on the depth chart and has become a favorite target for Cutler, as the duo quickly regained the chemistry they shared on the field and off during their college years playing together at Vanderbilt. During that offseason, Earl also changed his number from 85 to 80. (He tried to obtain his original college number 10, but since NFL rules prohibit players from changing numbers in the 80s to numbers in the 10s, he settled for 80 as it reminded him of Jerry Rice.)
Earl was the only Bears receiver to catch at least 1 pass in each game played during the 17-Game regular season in which the Bears missed the playoffs.
Bennett got off to a strong start in season in the Week 1 match-up against the Green Bay Packers, making seven catches for 66 yards. Two weeks later against the Seattle Seahawks, Bennett caught four passes for 80 yards. A week later against the Detroit Lions, Bennett returned four punts for a 15 yard average and a long of 25 yards in place of an injured Devin Hester. During Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons, Bennett caught four passes for 57 yards, including a clutch grab in the red zone in which Bennett took a big hit to still give Chicago a chance to win but eventually lost that game. In Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals, Bennett caught seven passes for 93 yards, but the Bears lost 41–21. In Week 16 against the division rival Minnesota Vikings, Bennett caught three passes for 35 yards, along with his second career receiving touchdown.
Bennett had a key two-point conversion against the Seattle Seahawks for his first points of the 2009 season and his career. Bennett caught his first career touchdown from Jay Cutler against the St. Louis Rams in Week 13 as well completing a career-long 71-yard pass reception.
On December 20 against the Baltimore Ravens
, Bennett returned a punt 49 yards for a touchdown in place of the Bears injured returner Devin Hester
.
Earl Bennett finished the season with 717 yards on 54 catches with two receiving touchdowns and a punt return touchdown as well.
2010 Season
During Week 6 against the Seahawks, Bennett laid a devastating block on Seattle punter Jon Ryan
, allowing teammate Devin Hester
to return his second punt of the season for a touchdown. Bennett caught his third career receiving touchdown in Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills in Toronto.
During the NFC Championship game, with Chicago trailing 21-7, Caleb Hanie
, who was playing for an injured Jay Cutler
, lofted a pass toward the left sideline to Bennett, who made Nick Collins
whiff on the tackle and then raced untouched into the endzone for a 35-yard touchdown, but Green Bay still won the game 21-14.
2011 Season
In Week 2 against the Saints, Bennett was injured, and did not return to the game. In Week 9, Bennett's return helped the Bears defeat the Eagles with a touchdown pass.
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...
for 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...
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 Bears in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. 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 Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Commodores football
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference...
.
College career
A three-time All-SEC selection at Vanderbilt, Bennett left school as the all-time SEC leader in receptions with 236.Awards and honors
- 2005- First Team All-SEC (Coaches)
- 2005- Second Team All-SEC (AP)
- 2005- First Team SEC All Freshman Team
- 2005- Sporting News Second Team Freshman All American
- 2005- Scout.com First Team All American
- 2005- Rivals.com Second Team All American
- 2006- Rivals.com Third Team All American
- 2006- First Team All-SEC (AP)
- 2006- Second Team All-SEC (Coaches)
- 2006- Rivals.com First Team All-SEC
- 2006- Scout.com First Team All-SEC
Records
- He set the Southeastern ConferenceSoutheastern ConferenceThe Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
record for career receptions with 236. - He has totaled more receptions than any other Southeastern ConferenceSoutheastern ConferenceThe Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
receiver after two years. - He set the school record with 223 receiving yards against the Richmond Spiders in the Commodores' 2007 opening season win.
- He is the first ever SEC receiver to record 75 receptions in three different seasons.
Statistics
| Receiving | Rushing | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
| 2005 | 79 | 876 | 11.1 | 41 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 2.2 | 14 | 0 |
| 2006 | 82 | 1146 | 14.0 | 77 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 2.2 | 11 | 0 |
| 2007 | 75 | 830 | 11.0 | 54 | 5 | 10 | 22 | 2.2 | 15 | 0 |
| Totals | 236 | 2852 | 12.1 | 77 | 20 | 20 | 44 | 2.2 | 15 | 0 |
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...
chose Bennett in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. He didn't catch a single pass his entire rookie year and was mostly on the sidelines.
2009 season
On April 2, 2009, Bennett's former teammate at Vanderbilt during the 2005 season, Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
was acquired by the Bears via a trade with the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Chicago 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....
said Bennett would be given "every opportunity" to win a spot as a starting receiver alongside Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
in 2009. Bennett did just that during the course of mandatory mini-camp and training camp, as he showed an ability to make tough grabs in traffic and a willingness to go over the middle. He is currently the No. 2 Receiver on the depth chart and has become a favorite target for Cutler, as the duo quickly regained the chemistry they shared on the field and off during their college years playing together at Vanderbilt. During that offseason, Earl also changed his number from 85 to 80. (He tried to obtain his original college number 10, but since NFL rules prohibit players from changing numbers in the 80s to numbers in the 10s, he settled for 80 as it reminded him of Jerry Rice.)
Earl was the only Bears receiver to catch at least 1 pass in each game played during the 17-Game regular season in which the Bears missed the playoffs.
Bennett got off to a strong start in season in the Week 1 match-up against the Green Bay Packers, making seven catches for 66 yards. Two weeks later against the Seattle Seahawks, Bennett caught four passes for 80 yards. A week later against the Detroit Lions, Bennett returned four punts for a 15 yard average and a long of 25 yards in place of an injured Devin Hester. During Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons, Bennett caught four passes for 57 yards, including a clutch grab in the red zone in which Bennett took a big hit to still give Chicago a chance to win but eventually lost that game. In Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals, Bennett caught seven passes for 93 yards, but the Bears lost 41–21. In Week 16 against the division rival Minnesota Vikings, Bennett caught three passes for 35 yards, along with his second career receiving touchdown.
Bennett had a key two-point conversion against the Seattle Seahawks for his first points of the 2009 season and his career. Bennett caught his first career touchdown from Jay Cutler against the St. Louis Rams in Week 13 as well completing a career-long 71-yard pass reception.
On December 20 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...
, Bennett returned a punt 49 yards for a touchdown in place of the Bears injured returner Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
.
Earl Bennett finished the season with 717 yards on 54 catches with two receiving touchdowns and a punt return touchdown as well.
2010 Season
During Week 6 against the Seahawks, Bennett laid a devastating block on Seattle punter Jon Ryan
Jon Ryan
Jonathan Robert Ryan is a Canadian professional gridiron football player who is currently the punter for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League...
, allowing teammate Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
to return his second punt of the season for a touchdown. Bennett caught his third career receiving touchdown in Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills in Toronto.
During the NFC Championship game, with Chicago trailing 21-7, Caleb Hanie
Caleb Hanie
Caleb Jeffrey Hanie is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played high school football for Forney High School in Forney, Texas and led his team to consecutive top 3 finishes in...
, who was playing for an injured Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, lofted a pass toward the left sideline to Bennett, who made Nick Collins
Nick Collins
Nicholas Cardell Collins is an American football free safety who plays for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL.-High school:...
whiff on the tackle and then raced untouched into the endzone for a 35-yard touchdown, but Green Bay still won the game 21-14.
2011 Season
In Week 2 against the Saints, Bennett was injured, and did not return to the game. In Week 9, Bennett's return helped the Bears defeat the Eagles with a touchdown pass.