William Sean Bennett (born November 9, 1975) is a former American professional football player with strong ties to Evansville, Indiana. A graduate of William Henry Harrison High School, Bennett became one of the greatest football players in the history of the University of Evansville before being selected by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft.
Bennett played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League and indoor football, including multiple seasons with the New York Giants.
His unusual journey to professional football included stops at the University of Illinois, University of Evansville and Northwestern University and was dramatically altered when the University of Evansville discontinued its football program following the 1997 season.
Harrison High School
Bennett attended William Henry Harrison High School in Evansville, graduating in 1994.
A talented multi-sport athlete, Bennett competed in both football and baseball.
In football, he played wide receiver and earned All-State recognition. Baseball was also a major part of his athletic career, and Bennett initially believed that baseball could potentially become his path to professional sports.
He reportedly compiled a .425 batting average over his four-year high school career.
Bennett’s athletic accomplishments eventually earned him recognition as one of the most accomplished athletes in Harrison history.
He was inducted into the Harrison High School Hall of Fame in 2015.
Harrison has produced an impressive collection of professional football players over the years, including Scott Studwell, Kevin Hardy and Bennett.
University of Illinois
Following his career at Harrison, Bennett initially attended the University of Illinois.
At that point, baseball remained a significant part of his future.
Bennett went to Illinois with the opportunity to participate in both baseball and football. His college career, however, would eventually move in a very different direction.
After his time at Illinois, Bennett decided to return home to Evansville and attend the University of Evansville.
It was there that his football career exploded.
University of Evansville
Bennett transferred to the University of Evansville and became a running back for the Purple Aces.
The move proved transformative.
Bennett developed into one of the most productive football players ever to wear a University of Evansville uniform.
During his career with the Purple Aces, Bennett rushed for 2,856 yards, at the time making him the leading rusher in University of Evansville football history.
His 1997 season was particularly remarkable.
Bennett rushed for 1,667 yards, setting a University of Evansville single-season rushing record.
His name eventually appeared throughout the Purple Aces football record book.
Bennett finished his UE career holding records that included:
- 2,856 career rushing yards
- 1,667 rushing yards in a season
- 234 career points
- 122 points in a single season
- 39 career touchdowns
- 20 touchdowns in a single season
- 313 rushing yards in a single game
His 313-yard performance came against San Diego in 1996.
Bennett was also named an All-American, becoming the final All-American produced by the University of Evansville football program.
He earned All-American recognition in both 1996 and 1997.
End of University of Evansville Football
Bennett’s college career was dramatically affected by one of the most controversial decisions in University of Evansville athletic history.
Following the 1997 season, the university discontinued its football program.
The decision ended a football tradition at UE that stretched back generations and forced Bennett to find another school if he wanted to continue his college football career.
For Bennett, the timing was particularly significant.
He had just established himself as one of the most productive running backs in the school’s history and was approaching the end of his college career.
Instead of completing his eligibility in Evansville, Bennett was forced to transfer.
He chose Northwestern University.
Northwestern University
At Northwestern, Bennett joined a Big Ten football program and transitioned primarily to fullback.
His role was different from the one he had occupied at Evansville.
At UE, Bennett had been the centerpiece of the offense and a record-setting runner. At Northwestern, he was used more heavily as a blocker while still receiving opportunities to carry the football.
During his season with the Wildcats, Bennett rushed 32 times for 160 yards.
Although his Northwestern statistics did not approach the enormous numbers he had produced at Evansville, playing in the Big Ten provided Bennett with an opportunity to demonstrate that he could compete against major-conference competition.
NFL scouts took notice.
1999 NFL Draft
Bennett entered the 1999 NFL Draft following his season at Northwestern.
The New York Giants selected Bennett in the fourth round with the 112th overall pick.
His selection represented a remarkable conclusion to an unconventional college career.
Bennett had gone from Harrison High School to Illinois, returned home and became a record-setting running back at the University of Evansville, lost his football program, transferred to Northwestern and then reached the NFL.
He was also one of the final products of University of Evansville football to reach professional football.
New York Giants
Bennett began his NFL career with the New York Giants in 1999.
Listed at approximately 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, Bennett possessed the size to play both running back and fullback.
He appeared in nine games during his rookie season and made two starts.
Bennett carried the ball 29 times for 126 yards and one touchdown, averaging 4.3 yards per rushing attempt.
He also contributed as a receiver.
His NFL career was repeatedly interrupted by injuries, preventing him from establishing a larger role with the Giants.
Bennett spent time on injured reserve and was eventually released before later returning to the organization.
He appeared in another seven games for New York during the 2002 season.
Overall, Bennett appeared in 16 regular-season NFL games, including two starts.
He finished his NFL career with 126 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown while also catching nine passes.
New York Jets
Following his time with the Giants, Bennett signed with the New York Jets in 2003.
He competed for a roster position but was released before the beginning of the regular season.
His departure from the Jets effectively ended his NFL playing career, but Bennett continued playing professional football.
Canadian Football League
Bennett subsequently moved to the Canadian Football League.
He played for the Ottawa Renegades during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Following the suspension of Ottawa’s operations, Bennett became part of the CFL dispersal process and later joined the Toronto Argonauts.
He appeared in games for Toronto during the 2006 season.
His CFL career extended his professional playing days several years beyond his final NFL appearance.
Evansville BlueCats
Bennett also returned to his hometown to play professional indoor football.
He played for the Evansville BlueCats, giving local football fans an opportunity to see a former Harrison and University of Evansville star playing professionally in Evansville.
The BlueCats competed at Roberts Stadium and represented Evansville in indoor football during the 2000s.
Bennett’s time with the BlueCats brought his football career back to the same city where he had first emerged as a standout high school athlete.
University of Evansville Hall of Fame
In 2005, Bennett was inducted into the University of Evansville Athletics Hall of Fame.
His induction recognized a remarkable two-season run with the Purple Aces.
Although his time playing football at UE was relatively brief, Bennett left the university as one of the most statistically accomplished football players in school history.
His place in UE history is particularly notable because the university discontinued football immediately after his final season with the program.
As a result, many of Bennett’s accomplishments became permanently connected with the final chapter of Purple Aces football.
Greater Evansville Football Hall of Fame
Bennett has also been recognized by the Greater Evansville Football Hall of Fame.
His football career represents several different levels of Evansville’s football history.
He starred at Harrison High School, became an All-American at the University of Evansville, reached the NFL and eventually returned home to play professionally for the Evansville BlueCats.
Few Evansville football players have assembled a career with such a direct connection to the city at the high school, college and professional levels.
Legacy
Sean Bennett remains one of the most accomplished football players produced by William Henry Harrison High School and one of the final great players in University of Evansville football history.
His career also represents an unusual piece of Evansville sports history.
Bennett was establishing himself as a dominant hometown college football player when the University of Evansville eliminated the sport. Rather than ending his career, Bennett transferred to Northwestern, competed in the Big Ten and earned his way into the NFL Draft.
The New York Giants’ decision to select him in the fourth round made Bennett one of the relatively small number of Evansville natives and Harrison High School graduates to reach the National Football League.
His path from Harrison to the Purple Aces, Northwestern, the New York Giants, Canadian football and eventually back to Evansville makes Bennett an important figure in the city’s football history.
Evansville BlueCats
Scott Studwell
Kevin Hardy