Falcons Cut Cornelius Bennett

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

February 17, 1999 / 8:09 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

Despite leading the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons in tackles this season, outside linebacker Cornelius Bennett became a salary cap casualty.

The Falcons today released Bennett, who was scheduled to make $3.4 million in 1999.

Bennett, 33, was one of the leaders on a team that reached the Super Bowl for the first time in the 33-year history of the franchise. The Falcons ranked second in the NFL against the run and Bennett led the team with 120 tackles, but he had just one sack after compiling seven in 1997.

The Falcons selected linebacker Keith Brooking in the first round last April's draft and groomed him this year to take over at one of the outside linebacker positions. He will now likely move in as the starter at Bennett's weakside spot.

Bennett has the dubious distinction of being the only player to start for five Super Bowl-losing teams. He signed a four-year, $13.6 million deal with the Falcons as an unrestricted free agent in 1996 after spending the first nine years of his career with the Buffalo Bills.

Bennett, the second overall pick in the 1987 draft, was named to the Pro Bowl five times in his nine years with the Bills. Buffalo became the first team to reach four straight Super Bowls (1991-94), but lost each time.

Bennett had a career-high 134 tackles in his final year with the Bills in 1995.

The Falcons today also released veteran center Dave Widell. He was inactive for 14 games this season after spending the previous three years with Jacksonville. Widell played in 156 career NFL games.