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Monday night's Bengals vs Buccaneers game will feature one new Bengals player on the field. Michael Bennett is fighting for a spot on the team's roster and we spoke with the undrafted rookie to hear about his college days, what he thinks of his once again teammate A.J. Green and much more. Look out for Bennett wearing #80 tonight on the field. Though he was a wide receiver in college, the team's roster has him listed as a tight end.
1) Bennett is excited
"It was a dream come true," Bennett said regarding getting signed as a Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver last week. "I came in for a workout on Tuesday and worked out for the coaches and front office people and was good enough to impress them. When they called and told me they were going to sign me a lot of emotions came up. It was really a dream come true especially for a great team like the Bengals, a contender every year. It was amazing about the whole situation."
2) Two torn ACLs
Bennett has torn an ACL in both of his knees, the most recent of which came in December 2014 when he was playing in the Belk Bowl as a Georgia Bulldog. "It was a big blow to me emotionally," Bennett said. "I was all set to go train for my Pro Day and the combine. When the plans changed I just had to keep working and rehabbing. I did all that at UGA down in Athens. It went really well and got me back to my old playing speed. It's been a tough process but it's been smooth at the same time."
3) Once a Dawg always a Dawg
Bennett is grateful to be playing with four other former Georgia Bulldogs. "The Georgia guys, once you're a dawg, you're always a dawg, that’s what we like to say at Georgia, and there’s a family feel," Bennett said. "Clint Boling took me out to dinner my first night here. We knew each other at UGA. It’s kind of cool when you look around and see guys in the locker room. This locker room feel is really attractive to me and I'm just really excited to be here."
4) He passed through Cincinnati every year growing up
Bennett is from Georgia, but would take road trips with his family every year to Michigan. "When you're crossing the bridge on 75 going north, heading to Michigan, you pass Paul Brown Stadium on the right and I remember telling my dad, "how cool would it be to play in that stadium" and now, it's going to happen," Bennett said. That is pretty cool.
5) Bennett plans to play fast and physical
Bennett wants to make an impression on coaches and fans alike. "It’s just a matter of whenever you get on the field, one play or 20 plays, just playing fast," Bennett said. "That's a big thing the coaches look for. Even if you don’t know what to do, as long as I'm playing fast and physical. They can coach technique and plays but they cant really coach playing fast and physical."
Bennett also wants to contribute on special teams, which he has experience with from college. "Special teams is something I enjoy and it can be a real game changer for a team; it’s a point of emphasis for me and I think they're going to give me a shot at it."