Michael Bennett: “I Love Seattle, I Love the Fans Here. I Want to Retire a Seahawk”
Michael Bennett had to make Friday afternoon’s unscheduled press conference a brief affair, and for a good reason.
“Lunch date with my wife and kids,” Bennett explained.
And Bennett, his wife Pele and their three daughters had plenty to celebrate at Friday’s lunch, which came on the same day Bennett signed a multi-year contract extension with the Seahawks.
Bennett, 31, began his career with the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent before spending four seasons in Tampa Bay, then returned to Seattle as a free agent in 2013. Now, after signing this deal Friday, there’s a good chance the two-time Pro Bowler can finish his career where it began.
“I just love Seattle, I love the city, I love the fans here, I love the culture of the city, I love the Seahawks,” Bennett said. “I want to retire a Seahawk. My teammates are great teammates, it’s just a great place to be.”
Bennett arrived in Seattle in 2013 along with Cliff Avril with the Seahawks hoping those two could upgrade the team’s pass rush, and that duo has been everything the Seahawks could have hoped for and more, with Bennett earning Pro-Bowl honors each of the past two seasons and Avril making the Pro Bowl for the first time this season.
“It’s a good day,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “We have a chance to recognize Mike and do something for the future. The guy has been a terrific player for us and he has been a great team guy for us. Mike has been a guy who was hoping he’d have a chance to retire as a Seahawk and wants to be here and be part of this thing. He has shown nothing but that, so it’s nice recognition for him.”
A new contract is good news for Bennett’s future, as well as that of the Seahawks defense, which has benefited from Bennett developing into one of the league’s…