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You’re not poor, Michael Bennett; stop complaining

By Alexis Bravo

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Here we go again.

Michael Bennett, the versatile defensive linemen and beloved player for the Seattle Seahawks is in the headlines again. This time it is again for all the wrong reasons (at least for Seattle’s fans).

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Yesterday, reports surfaced of him wanting a trade out of Seattle. However, as of today, those reports have been denied by Bennett himself. During an interview with King 5, he said that’s not what he wants. He is on the record saying that what he wants is a new contract or at least a raise:

"“I think everyone who has a job, they want a raise for whatever they’re doing” said Bennett. “I’m just like and other American. I think everybody wants to be paid a little bit more so I don’t think I fall short of that.” (sic)"

I, for one, don’t ever blame a player for wanting more money. The NFL isn’t a guarantee and they should try to get ever dollar possible. Plus, NFL careers are typically short. They have to get their’s while they can.

But what Bennett is doing – that just rubs me the wrong way.

Bennett is only one year into his new contract that he signed just last off-season. The fact he’s asking for more money already is absolutely ridiculous, you can not ask for a raise after one year into a new contract. (Perhaps if you had a monster season. Bennett had a good year, but not THAT good.) Seattle doesn’t roll that way.

I understand his impact on the field—Bennett being Howie Long like (plays inside and outside the line); warrants double-teams helping everyone else become better—but his impact isn’t 10 million dollars worth (at least not yet), or whatever amount he’s looking for.

Let’s not forget what Bennett said just last offseason when he was asked about taking a home town discount, “that this isn’t Costco,” and as it turns out, he did the opposite – he took a discount.

When Bennett signed his new four-year, $28.5 million contract with $16 million of it guaranteed, there were several reports saying that he agreed to Seahawks deal when there was more money on table somewhere else.

Terry Blount of ESPN reported that “two teams offered more…but Bennett opted to stay in Seattle.”

The way I see it (just off that) is that Bennett is acting like a baby. He decided to stick with a good team, a winning team, and that’s the price you’re going to pay (unless you’re the franchise QB) for staying with a team like the Seahawks; and not going after the money from some mediocre, to below average team like Chicago. You’re going to make less money in exchange for fame and championships. Just the way it is.

Bennett needs to stop complaining about being underpaid. He needs to start remembering that he put this on himself when he signed that contract. There wasn’t a gun to his head. He took less to play for a winner.

You won’t see Golden Tate complaining, he left for Detroit and got the money he wanted. It is too late for Bennett to ask the Seahawks for a “redo.”

Next: Tom Brady at center of Deflategate report

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