Michael Bennett Dishes on NFL Hypocrisy, the Playoffs and What Scares Him

One of the most interesting men in sports is on the phone, and almost immediately, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett has me thinking, contemplating and laughing.

On a Seahawks team full of highly intelligent men, Bennett stands out. In fact, Bennett stands out among most intelligent humans.

He is also one of the key cogs for a Seattle team making its fifth consecutive trip to the playoffs. During that span, the Seahawks have won three division titles, advanced to the Super Bowl twice (winning Super Bowl XLVIII) and were one horrid play call away from winning another.

Three front office executives, two from the AFC and one from the NFC, said their pseudo-surprise team is Seattle. Why? Because the Seahawks are capable of doing anything.

Yes, they bicker. Yes, they make mistakes. But Seattle is still dangerous. The team is still nasty, and it is more than capable of winning it all.

A big reason why is Bennett, a talkative, friendly and, on the field, highly disruptive player whom teams still fear. Off the field, in many ways, he is the league’s worst nightmare. Like his brother in New England, Martellus, he’s fearless in addressing any issue.

“The NFL doesn’t want us to be individuals,” Bennett told B/R. “Look at the NBA; they are allowed to market themselves and think about their life after basketball. The NFL is all about the shield, the shield, the shield. I could go on all day about the hypocrisy of that.”

Bigger issues aside, there is a playoff bracket to prepare for, and though the …

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