In 2014, five years into his NFL career, defensive lineman Michael Bennett became a Super Bowl XLVIII champion playing for the Seattle Seahawks. For most athletes, such an accomplishment is already a remarkable professional legacy. But Bennett’s on-field aptitude (he’s also a three-time Pro Bowler) stands secondary to his ongoing humanitarian work and social justice activism. In 2015, he used a press conference to speak out against a teammate’s criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The following year, he joined fellow NFL player Colin Kaepernick by refusing to stand during “The Star-Spangled Banner” — a form of protest against police brutality and systemic racism that Bennett (then playing for the Philadelphia Eagles)...
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- #298
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Super Bowl Champion Michael Bennett Moves From Football to Furniture Design
The NFL alumnus finds success — and inspires change — in a whole new field.