The charges levied against Michael Bennett in Houston, TX should raise some concern for all parties involved.
The last few years have been contentious at best when it comes to the NFL and the social community. With many players taking a knee during the national anthem, speaking openly about issues in society today and President of the United States Donald Trump in turn speaking out against the players, it’s clear that this is a time in which the conversation involves so much more than sport. That is what makes the current Michael Bennett situation that much more important to watch as it screams of repercussions more egregious than a dirty play on the field.
The Michael Bennett situation has been well documented in previous days. Late last week, Bennett was indicted by a grand jury in Harris County, TX on multiple charges. The incident in question occurred back in Feb. 2017 at Super Bowl LI, which was in Houston. Bennett was in attendance at this game to watch his brother, Martellus Bennett, who was a part of the victorious New England Patriots. It was during that victory celebration in which the story gets murky and we find ourselves in a conundrum where Bennett is facing charges that could come with up to a 10-year prison sentence.
According to the official charges, Bennett pushed past an elderly, paraplegic security guard when he was told that he was to use another entrance to the field. Pushing past the guard caused shoulder sprain injuries. According to the police, Bennett came into contact with two additional people during that moment. There is no video evidence to support the accusations and there was no action taken at the time by the police officers and security that was on the scene. In Houston, these charges come with a potential 10-year prison sentence and $10,000 fine.
In breaking this matter down, there are a number of questions that should immediately come up. For example, why wait more than a year to make the official case against Bennett? With the number of people that are allowed on the field with the Super Bowl ends, why was it such a big deal for Bennett — who was credentialed — to be on the field? Why didn’t anyone report the security guard’s injuries at that time or take action against Bennett if he was clearly in violation of the law? These are just some of the questions that have poured out as this story has gained steam in recent days.
However, there’s another conversation going on around the Bennett ordeal. That is a conversation around retaliation. Bennett has long been vocal against police brutality and the real message behind the social activism seen in the NFL. Bennett was detained by Las Vegas police in 2017 for a situation at a casino in which the player pointed toward racial profiling as the reason he was held, a reason that the LVMPD has since denied. Since then, Bennett has been a strong voice for players rallying against the brutality that is seen to occur in minority communities across the United States.
Fast forward to 2018 and there’s a growing idea that these charges in Houston are a form of retaliation against Bennett for being outspoken. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo called Bennett “morally corrupt,” and “morally bankrupt,” when speaking about the charges — terms that have caused some alarm amongst those closely watching these developments. Leadership within the Philadelphia Eagles has talked about this matter and thrown their support behind the newly acquired player.
As the intersections between race, sports and society continue to blur, it’s important to pay attention to situations such as these. The legal system will play itself out; hopefully in a way that provides justice to all the parties involved. But there should still be some questions brought up about the validity of these claims and the way that the case has been put forward.