Retired NFL Star Cedric Benson Dies at 36 in Motorcycle Crash: 'He Was Immensely Talented'
Cedric Benson, who was a University of Texas football legend and former NFL running back, died Saturday night in a motorcycle collision. He was 36.
Authorities responded to reports of a motorcycle and car crash at around 10:20 p.m. on FM 2222 and Mount Bonnell Road, according to reports from KVUE and the Austin American Statesman.
First responders told KVUE that one of the vehicles was on fire when they arrived. Benson and an unidentified woman, also in her 30s, were pronounced dead at the scene. Two others had non-life-threatening injuries.
Police also told the outlet that Benson and the woman were on the motorcycle heading down FM 2222 when a minivan pulled out of Mount Bonnell Road and hit them.
FINAL: Auto v Motorcycle at ~5600 blk Mount Bonnell Rd; #ATCEMSMedics advising 4 total patients - 2 adult patients, ~30's Male & 30's Female declared Deceased On Scene & 2 adult patients with non-life-threatening injuries will be non-transports. Expect extended road closures.
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) August 18, 2019
Benson’s family and friends confirmed his death to the Austin American Statesman on Sunday.
Benson’s lawyer, Sam Bassett, also confirmed his death in a statement to Statesman on Sunday morning.
“Cedric was not just a client, he was my friend,” Bassett told the outlet. “He was immensely talented and fierce on the football field yet most have no idea the difficulties he overcame to achieve what he did. Though imperfect in some respects, once Cedric was your friend you understood how kind, sensitive and loyal he was as a man. He was like a younger brother or nephew to me. I will miss him very much.”
Ahead of the accident, Benson shared an image on Instagram Story of his motorcycle with two helmets resting on the vehicle, and captioned the snap “My Saturday Evening.”
According to CBS Sports, Benson was a four-year starter for the Texas Longhorns from 2001-04, racking up 67 touchdowns throughout his college career.
He went on to play for eight years in the NFL after he was selected fourth overall in the 2005 Draft by the Chicago Bears. After three seasons with the Bears, he joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008, and retired from the NFL after playing with the Green Bay Packers in 2012.
His death comes just three days after he pleaded guilty to obstruction of a passageway in a 2017 DWI arrest.
