Cedric Benson was one of the most prolific running backs in the history of college football. In 2005, he was the fourth overall selection in the NFL Draft. But his NFL career would be cut short by injury and clouded by legal troubles. A number of his legal woes involved alcohol.
Sadly, his post-football life has also been cut short. On August 17, he died in a tragic accident.
Benson in Austin, Texas at the time
Benson and a female passenger were riding on a motorcycle on the night of the 17th. They were at the intersection of Mount Bonnell Road and FM 2222 when they collided with a minivan.
Flames began to erupt. Both Benson and his passenger were killed. Two people who were in the minivan were injured.
According to KVUE, the intersection in question has a reputation for being dangerous. One nearby resident said he has seen at least six accidents occur at the intersection. Some people living by the intersection called for action to make it safer.
Many of the problems apparently stem from poor visibility. The Austin Police Department has stated that poor visibility could have been a key factor in the collision.
Set records as a running back
Benson was a native of Midland, Texas, where he played high school football. As a high schooler, he set several records and was part of three state and a national championship team.
At the collegiate level, Benson played for the Longhorns of the University of Texas at Austin. There, he studied social work and sociology. Benson would have one of the most successful college careers of all-time. He finished with the sixth-most running yards in the history of NCAA Division I-A football. Individual honors he received include the 2004 Doak Walker Award and being named a 2004 Consensus All-American.
In 2014, he was inducted into the university's Hall of Honor. His Longhorn teams were victorious in the 2003 Cotton Bowl and the 2005 Rose Bowl.
Benson was drafted by the Chicago Bears. He'd play 8 seasons with the Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, and Green Bay Packers and appear in Super Bowl XLI. He dealt with a variety of injuries over the years.
But in the end, it seemed to be a Lisfranc injury that was the final straw. Put more simply, the bones in one or more of his toes became separated from the rest of his foot.
In addition to football, Benson was a star baseball player in high school. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2001 and briefly played Minor League Baseball.
After the end of his athletic career, Benson worked as a loan originator. ESPN reports that he also set up a charitable foundation called NUFCED. The foundation was created with the focus of helping underprivileged youth and families.