Seahawks Player Gives A Really Thoughtful Answer For Why He Skipped Practice

Image via David Solano/Twitter.

The NFL season doesn’?t begin until September, but teams have already been holding practices in May and June. Thus begins the annual ritual of NFL reporters complaining about players who skip those practices despite the fact that most of them—by league rules—are actually voluntary.

One of the players who has skipped this year’s? practices is outspoken Seattle Seahawk Michael Bennett. However, last week, the Seahawks held a mandatory mini-camp, and Bennett did show for that. While there, Gregg Bell of Tacoma’s News Tribune asked him why he didn’?t come to the offseason training activities, and he gave this really thoughtful answer:

“I like to be a parent. I’ve got daughters. I’m a coach. I’m a teacher at the school. I do things in the community. I try to balance my football life with my actual reality. So, to find that great balance as a human being. I think it’s important as athletes to find that.

“I think a lot of times athletes have a problem when they retire because they build an identity around sports. Then when the sport is gone you are lost. So along this way you’ve got to transition yourself to be able to life in civilization. So find different things you can be a part of. Find out who you are.

“That’s why I do that I do. I mean, I train harder than anyone in the NFL. So I’m not worried about being in shape or being the best player I can be. What I am worried about is how good of a parent I can be, and how much better a husband I can be.”

For a guy the Seattle Times recently called “immature,”? it sure sounds like Bennett has his head on pretty straight.