Seahawks DE Michael Bennett rips ‘mediocre’ QBs who ‘get paid’

Michael Bennett is the rare modern pro athlete who's not afraid to speak his mind. During an interview on 710 ESPN Seattle on Tuesday, the outspoken Seahawks defensive end ripped some NFL quarterbacks for being grossly overpaid and for the way that some of them react to getting hit.

"Quarterback is the only position in the NFL where you could be mediocre and get paid. At every other position, you can't be mediocre," Bennett said. "If I was Ryan Tannehill and the most games I ever won was seven, how could you get a $100 million for that? I guess that's the value of the position.

"There's some mediocre quarterbacks in the NFL that make a lot of money. You take a guy like Sam Bradford — he's never played really in the last three years, but he's made more money than most guys in the NFL."

Bennett also didn't like the fact that Bradford, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, took exception to a low hit Saturday by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs.

"Quarterbacks get protected more than any other player. I mean, he gets hit in his knees and he's about to cry," Bennett said, making a whimpering sound. "'They hit me in my legs.' Everybody gets hit in their legs. Every play somebody tries to hit me in my legs. So what makes him different? What makes his life better than mine? I've got kids. I've got stuff I like to do on the weekend. But because he gets hit in his legs, he gets a flag. He gets up with a sad face like the world just ended because he got hit. I mean, you got hit in an NFL game. Who cares? Get back up and be like, 'Good job.'

"We've got guys in the NFL crying because they get hit. 'Oh, Suggs hit me and I'm running the read-option.'"

Bennett said he respects quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Cam Newton for their toughness.

"But there's a whole bunch of young guys who haven't done anything in the NFL that are looking for flags," he said. "RG3 is running around and he gets hit and I'm like, 'stop running the ball if you don't want to get hit.' Throw the ball. The best way to not get hit is to complete a pass."All these players in college football aren't getting hit, then they come to the NFL, they're underdeveloped and they want everybody to be their daddy. We ain't got time to be their daddy."

Bennett also complained about his own contract situation. He signed a $28.5 million, four-year extension before the 2014 season and considered holding out from training camp before deciding to show up.

"I mean, I'm unhappy. But the thing is, this is my job and I can't let my unhappiness trump my professionalism," he said. "I still have to be a professional and keep trying but go out there and make sure that I'm proving why I think I'm one of the best defensive players in the league.

"I'm like a wife that's married to a guy, they have kids, and she can't leave because she loves the kids. I love the kids. Those are my teammates."