Bennett Speaks: 'Honored' Newcomer Raves about Tank, Richard and Cowboys 'Journey'
FRISCO - Since coming to the Dallas Cowboys at the trade deadline, colorful defensive lineman Michael Bennett has been reserved in terms of his interaction with the media. But maybe he was just storing up the good stuff for Monday afternoon, when the Pro Bowler Bennett opened up in his first at-large interview with reporters.
"It's been pretty much a good journey coming from New England, coming here," Bennett said. "A lot of great players, and I'm just trying to figure out how to get in there."
In truth, Bennett has adjusted just fine in his two games with the Cowboys, maybe in part due to his familiarity with the Cowboys scheme.
"I knew a lot of it,'' he said. "I've seen them play a lot of football. It's all the same really when it comes down to it. The scheme is very familiar for something I'm used to. ... I just came from the place with the most defenses in the league (New England), so any other defense is pretty much easy to learn."
More familiarity comes in the form of Cowboys defensive assistant Kris Richard, who was in Seattle during Bennett's "Legion of Boom'' Super Bowl days.
"We go way back," Bennett said. "I think we grew up together, we played a lot of winning football together, I'm used to winning, and that's part of the process, we've always been friends, always been texting when I wasn't playing in the offseason, checking the family, so it’s always been a close relationship."
Bennett is also impressed with a new relationship with Cowboys defensive end and captain DeMarcus Lawrence.
"I'm just a part of (the defense),'' he said. "DeMarcus is the key to it. DeMarcus is one of the best players I've played with and I've played with a lot of great players in the NFL. Whether it was Ronde Barber, or whether it was Cliff Avril, Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Fletcher Cox, all of these great I've played with, Gerald McCoy. I always say DeMarcus Lawrence is at the top of that list of guys that I've played within this league. I think he's got great leadership, He's also a great captain, and he goes out there and puts it on the line every single week. I think he leads by example, so for me it's great to be around a young guy like that, to be able to feel that energy again, to feel excited about playing football, and I think it’s an honor."
Bennett added one more respectful note, one more "I'm-honored''-type note, when discussing moving back to his home state to join the Cowboys.
“Everybody loves the Cowboys around the country,'' Bennett said. "I grew up watching the Cowboys ... It’s honor to be able to play for an organization that you grew up in Houston being able to see.”
