Cedric Benson: Mr. Accountable

Cedric Benson is finally doing something productive after three years of getting arrested and establishing himself as a bust.

So now he’s lashing out at the Bears, the team he stole 35 million from while rushing for a total of 1,620 yards in three seasons.

“I heard all the rumors that were coming out of Chicago,” he said. “Even the Bengals told me, they would call and inquire about me and get nothing but negative things – just that I didn’t work hard, that I was a prima donna, or didn’t work hard on the field, or I wasn’t focused. Anything negative they could say, it was said.”

Gee, there’s a shock.

Benson was drafted as the fourth overall pick in 2005. He proceeded to hold out of training camp, show up several weeks late looking like Vince Wilfork, couldn’t break the starting lineup, repeatedly got arrested, and was the highest paid offensive player on the team. Apparently he expected a glowing recommendation.

For some reason the Bears denied Benson’s claim, waxing poetic about how they try to help their former players.

Please.

Let’s try this question again, Lovie Smith: Did you badmouth Benson to teams that asked for a recommendation?

“Yeah, about as bad as I could. The dude was an incompetent unreliable player who was hated in the locker room. We cut him because we couldn’t stand him, and his play on the field didn’t make that decision too difficult.”