After totaling over 1,000 receiving yards in his rookie season, Benjamin missed his sophomore year with a torn ACL. He returned in 2016 and had 941 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Midway through 2017, Benjamin was traded to the Bills and appeared in six games with the team. With his play continuing to decline and his effort being called into question, the team released Benjamin during the 2018 season. He subsequently signed with the Chiefs but made just two catches in three regular season games. He did not appear in the team's playoff run and was eventually cut.
Early years
Born and raised in Belle Glade, Florida, Benjamin was born to an American mother and a Jamaican father who was deported to Jamaica when Benjamin was very young.[1] As a middle schooler he spent half of his years in a juvenile detention center. After he got out of the juvenile detention center, Benjamin shifted his focus on football. He had to repeat both 3rd and 7th grades, however, which caused him to finish high school at the age of 20, the age at which he would be considered ineligible.[2] Benjamin attended Glades Central High School in Belle Glade, Florida, where he played football, basketball and ran track. In football, he played as a wide receiver. He was named First-team All-Palm Beach County by Sun-Sentinel and was selected to the Palm Beach Post All-Area First-team. As a senior, he hauled in 30 catches for 551 yards with six touchdowns, although he just played in eight games.[3] In track & field, Benjamin competed in the jumping events. He got a personal-best jump of 1.84 meters in the high jump at the 2009 FHSAA 2A District 13, where he tied for third place.[4] At the 2010 Glades Central Invitational, he took gold in the long jump event, recording a career-best leap of 6.48 meters (21'3").[5]
Regarded as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Benjamin was ranked as the No. 7 wide receiver and the No. 60 overall player nationally in his class. Scout.com ranked him as the No. 12 receiver in the nation, while ESPN.com had him as the No. 23. According to 247Sports.com, he was the No. 13 wide receiver and the No. 89 player nationally. He chose Florida State University over scholarship offers from Auburn, Florida, Miami (FL), and Virginia Tech, among others.[6][7]
After being redshirted in 2011, Benjamin played in all 14 games in 2012, recording 30 receptions for 495 yards and four touchdowns.[8][9] As a sophomore in 2013, he had 54 receptions for 1,011 yards and 15 touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown against Auburn in the BCS National Championship with 13 seconds remaining.[10][11][12]Sports Illustrated named Benjamin to their All-American first-team and he was also selected to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Second-team by the coaches and All-ACC Third-team by media.[3] After the season, Benjamin decided to forgo his final two years of eligibility to enter the 2014 NFL draft.[13]
Professional career
Pre-draft
Despite forgoing two years of eligibility, Benjamin was still given a first-round grade by the NFL Draft Advisory Board, which is typically conservative with underclassmen draft entrants, and was widely considered one of the top wide receivers in the 2014 NFL draft.[14][15] Benjamin's size, physicality, and high-pointing ability drew parallels to players including Alshon Jeffery and Plaxico Burress.[16][17] While many scouts were concerned about his hands and a current lack of precise route running at this point, many projected him as a first-round pick due to his potential.[18][19][20] Benjamin was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the 28th pick of the first round. NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock praised the Panthers selection of Benjamin after it occurred. "He's 6-foot-5, 240 pounds with 35-inch arms, and you're talking about a catching radius." Mayock then went on to compare Benjamin to other college wide receivers that only had one year of college production. "However, there's one thing about wide receivers with only one year of college production (like Benjamin at FSU) and it's a little sobering when you look at the names on that list: Stephen Hill, Greg Little, Devin Thomas, Anthony Gonzalez," Mayock said.[21][22]
With a touchdown reception against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4, Benjamin became the only rookie wide receiver in the past 10 years to record a 25+ yard receiving touchdown in three of the team's first four games, joining Randy Moss, who accomplished the feat in 1998.[35] Furthermore, Benjamin and Marques Colston were the only rookies in 30 years to gain 300 receiving yards and catch three touchdown passes in their team's first four games.[36] On October 2, 2014, it was announced that the NFL named Benjamin the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for September.[37]
In the Panthers Week 8 matchup against the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, Benjamin racked up 94 yards against the All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman.[38] Benjamin finished the season with 73 receptions, 1,008 receiving yards, and nine receiving touchdowns.[39] He and teammate Greg Olsen became the first receiving duo to amass 1,000 receiving yards in the same year for the Panthers since Muhsin Muhammad and Patrick Jeffers in 1999.[40] Benjamin became only the 11th rookie wide receiver in NFL history to record a 1,000-yard season.[41] During the Panthers playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round, Benjamin recorded seven catches for 75 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.[42]
2015 season
Benjamin tore his ACL in a joint training camp practice with the Miami Dolphins, ending his 2015 season.[43]
2016 season
After missing the whole 2015 season with a torn ACL, Benjamin returned in the season opener game against the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. Benjamin had six receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown in his return at Denver, and followed that with seven receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers.[44][45] He had no receptions in Week 3, and though he caught a pass in every remaining game that season, his yardage totals were erratic and never again broke 100.[46] Nevertheless, he ended the season leading the team with seven touchdown receptions, and second to tight end Greg Olsen with 63 receptions for 941 yards.[47]
2017 season
On May 2, 2017, the Panthers exercised Benjamin's fifth-year option.[48][49]
Buffalo Bills
2017 season
Benjamin signing an autograph at Bills training camp in August 2018
On October 31, 2017, the Panthers traded Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills for a 2018 third round draft pick (later used to select Rashaan Gaulden) and the seventh round draft pick that was previously acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers (used on Andre Smith).[50] Benjamin suffered a torn meniscus in the right knee against the Chargers. The injury sidelined Benjamin for two weeks. Upon returning against the Indianapolis Colts, Benjamin scored his first touchdown with the Bills, an 8-yard pass from Nathan Peterman. However, he tweaked his injured knee in the third quarter and left the game afterwards.[51][52] Against the New England Patriots in Week 16, Benjamin had a touchdown catch overturned due to a controversial ruling. He finished the game with five receptions for 70 yards, but the Bills wound up losing 37-16.[53] He finished the 2017 season with 48 receptions for 692 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.[54]
2018 season
On December 4, 2018, Benjamin was released by the Bills. He finished the season playing in 12 games, starting 10, recording 23 receptions for 354 yards and just one touchdown.[55] Prior to his release Benjamin had a catch rate of 35 percent, the worst in the league.[56] It was also noted by fans and sports commentators that his effort had noticeably declined.[57][58][59]
Kansas City Chiefs
Two days after being released by the Bills, Benjamin signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.[60] Benjamin made just two catches in three regular season games with the team, and did not appear in their two playoff games.[61]
New York Giants
Benjamin signed with the New York Giants on May 16, 2021.[62] He worked out at the tight end spot during the team's minicamp.[63] He was cut on July 28 before the team's first official practice.[64] He blamed Giants coach Joe Judge following his release, feeling he was not given a proper chance and calling his tenure in New York a "hoax".[65]
