Death of Cedric Benson: Former NFL half-deadman killed in motorcycle accident

Former midfielder Cedric Benson, one of the most prolific advocates in the history of the NCAA and the University of Texas, died Saturday night in a motorcycle crash at Austin, Texas. According to CBS Austin, a woman in her thirties was also killed in the accident, involving a motorcycle and a van.

Benson, 36, was a key player in the resurgence of the Longhorns under coach Mack Brown, who said Sunday that Benson's death had left him sad.

"He was as good as you will ever see as a football player and also hard to come," said Brown, who recently returned to North Carolina after a long run in Texas. "But what I will remember most is how special he was.We have always loved talking to him because he was so brilliant and so unique, there will never be another one. like him, and he will be sorely missed at our much, it's just heartbreaking, but we feel very lucky to have had it in our lives. "

Benson was one of the best high school recruits from Midland, a West Texas city. He played in Texas from 2001 to 2004 and his 5,540 meters ranks second in the University and ninth in NCAA history. He scored 64 career touchdowns with the Longhorns and won the Doak Walker Award, awarded to the country's best running back in 2004.

The only school history player to have raced at least 1,000 yards in four seasons, he was inducted into the Hall of Honor of the University in 2014.

Benson was drafted fourth by the Bears in 2005 and helped Chicago reach the playoffs the following season. He had his best years with Cincinnati from 2008 to 2011, becoming the featured return of a team that participated in the series twice but lost in the first round each time.

Benson scored 1251 career yards, a career-high, as he led a playoff spurt in 2009, the first of three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He also led the Bengals to the playoffs in 2011, when Andy Dalton and A.J. Green arrived as a beginner.

"Cedric was a great football player for us," said Bengals president Mike Brown. "He has starred for several years here, including some playoff races."

"Once he integrated our system, he was like a flower, he just blossomed," said former Bengals coach Jim Anderson. "He gave us an item we did not have, we had complementary guys, but Cedric gave us a missing item, he was a good man, he was one of my guys and he it hurts, life is too short. "

Benson played a season with Green Bay, where he started the first five games in 2012 before suffering a fracture at Lisfranc in Indianapolis on October 17th. He had 248 yards and one touchdown with 71 runs and 14 assists for 97 yards in five games with the Packers before the foot injury.

He finished his career in the NFL with 6,017 yards and 46 touchdowns.

Benson returned to Austin after his playing career and created a foundation, NUFCED, to help underprivileged children and families. These efforts included repairing the damage to the home of the first victim killed in a series of bombings in Austin in early 2018.