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Colts LB
Cornelius Bennett
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Cornelius Bennett was discussing his place in the world the other day, and he
couldn’t help but chuckle.
Of all places, he’s in Indianapolis.
And to think, it took him only 11 years, 10 months and one day to get there.
"It’s just amazing how life is," Bennett said. "I couldn’t
have asked for anything better."
Nor could the Colts, who have secured a first-round bye in the playoffs in
Bennett’s first season with the franchise that drafted him more than a decade ago.
Talk about coming full circle. Bennett may finish his pro career where it was supposed
to have started. You’ll recall that the Colts took Bennett, a precocious linebacker
from Alabama, with the second overall pick in the 1987 draft but couldn’t sign him.
They ended up trading his rights in a blockbuster deal that brought Eric Dickerson to
Indianapolis and sent Bennett shuffling off to Buffalo.
Some 4,000 days later, Bennett returned. A lot changed in Indy during that time, but
one thing remains the same: Bennett is part of a winning team.
Wherever he goes, he wins.
In analyzing Bennett’s remarkable string of success — he has now played for
eight division champions and in 21 playoff games, including five Super Bowls — I am
reminded of a character in the movie "A Bronx Tale." His name is Eddie Mush, and
he can’t win a bet to save his life. The guy is bad luck, bad news. In this one scene
at the track, Mush’s associates learn that he has wagered on the same horse they
have. The head wiseguy immediately tears up their tickets, even though the race isn’t
over.
Bennett is the anti-Mush. He is a walking good-luck charm. If winning were a contagious
disease, Bennett would be its carrier.
Before he arrived, the Colts went 3-13 in back-to-back seasons. Now that he’s
aboard, they might go 13-3.
Bennett spent three years with the Falcons. In the third, Atlanta went to the Super
Bowl for the first time in the franchise’s 33-year history.
During Bennett’s nine seasons in Buffalo, the Bills made it to the Super Bowl four
times. They haven’t gone back since.
Obviously, Bennett is not the sole reason his teams enjoy success. We all know football
is the ultimate team game, and quarterback is arguably the only position that influences
wins and losses more than any other.
But at some point, it no longer qualifies as a coincidence.
"Some would attribute it to luck," Bennett said of his winning streak.
"My answer is a lot of hard work."
It is possible to make those around you better. Bennett does it by leading, sometimes
by words, more often by deeds. He believes — and the evidence, right there in the
standings, backs him up — that if he works his tail off, he will inspire his
teammates. He’s in his mid-30s, he has a bad knee, yet he’s out there, making
plays.
"I want these young guys to be in awe of me," Bennett said. "Hopefully,
in the back of their mind, they’re saying, ‘This guy’s 34 years old, and he
goes out there running like he’s my age. I’ve got to show him up, do better than
he is.’ "
Bennett’s work ethic has rubbed off on rookie Mike Peterson, the old man’s
apprentice. Every week, the two outside linebackers badger their position coach, Mike
Murphy, who breaks down the film to determine how many tackles should be credited to each
’backer.
"If I screw up, they make sure I know it," Murphy said. "There’s a
competition there — the old guy wants to show the young guy that he’s still the
guy."
Even though he can still run faster than most of them, the younger Colts (who comprise
pretty much the rest of the roster) regularly poke fun at Bennett. Instead of calling him
"Biscuit," his longtime nickname, young bucks such as Peterson refer to him as
"Pops." That’s OK with Bennett, though; it means he’s still around.
Bennett has tried to teach Peterson some of the subtleties of their position, such as
how to read offensive linemen based on their stance. Peterson is still learning the mental
side of the game. For Bennett, the game is more mental than physical at this point.
Oftentimes, his teammates will wonder how he reached a ballcarrier so quickly.
Bennett’s response: "I know this play. I’ve seen it a hundred times."
Bennett’s hard work is leadership by example. Occasionally, he will feel the need
to lead the old-fashioned way.
One such instance took place at halftime of the Colts-Redskins game in Week 15. The
Colts were losing at the half, and Bennett heard something in the locker room that he
didn’t want to hear: players talking about clinching the division title.
"And I cut it short right there," Bennett said. "I told the guys to stop
thinking about the AFC East championship and get your minds on the Washington Redskins.
Let’s beat the Redskins, and the championship will take care of itself."
The Colts rallied in the second half but had to squelch a last-ditch Washington drive
before the division crown would be theirs. Bennett keyed the defensive stand by blitzing
and sacking Redskins QB Brad Johnson. The Colts had tried the same blitz earlier in the
game, but it had been picked up. This time, the Redskins’ blocking scheme
"parted like the Red Sea," Bennett said, "and there I was."
Bennett’s biblical reference seems appropriate. As the story goes, it took Moses
40 years to lead his people home after he parted the Red Sea.
It took Bennett nearly 12 years to return to his original NFL home. Upon his arrival,
the Colts won their first AFC East title since 1987 — the year they drafted Bennett.
Full circle, indeed. |
