Former Bears RB Cedric Benson Dies In Motorcycle Crash

A former Chicago Bears running back died over the weekend in a motorcycle crash in Texas. Cedric Benson, whose career in the league began when he was drafted by the Bears, was killed Saturday night. He was 36.

Benson was one of two people who died when his motorcycle and a white minivan crashed before 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17, in Austin, Texas, police said. A woman in her 30s riding on Benson's motorcycle was also killed when the minivan drove into an intersection, police told CBS Austin.

Benson was the fourth overall draft pick for the Chicago Bears in 2005 and was on the team when Chicago secured the 2006 NFC championship, the Bears said in a statement after his passing. He was a running back for the team from 2005 to 2007.

"I’m honored to have had the privilege of being your teammate," fellow retired Bears player Charles Tillman posted Sunday on Instagram. He said the two played against each other in the Texas high school football playoffs growing up. "Little did I know that I was witnessing birth of one of the best running backs in Texas high school football."

Benson moved on to the Bengals from 2008 to 2011, during which time the team made the playoffs twice, in 2009 and 2011.

"He gave us an element we didn't have. We had complementary guys, but Cedric gave us a missing element," Bengals running backs coach Jim Anderson said in a statement. "He was a good man."

Benson had three 1,000-yard seasons with the Bengals, according to a statement from the team.

He closed out his NFL career as a member of the Green Bay Packers in 2012.

Over the course of his eight-season NFL career, Benson made 32 touchdowns and rushed for 6,012 yards.

Former Texas Longhorns coach Mack Brown, who recruited Benson out of high school to play for the University of Texas, tweeted Sunday: "We've coached a lot of tough players but none were tougher than Cedric. He was a true spirit."