View source for Bennie Anderson

{{Infobox NFL player
|image=  |
|currentteam=Free Agent
|currentnumber=--
|currentpositionplain=Offensive guard
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1977|2|17}}
|birth_place=St. Louis, Missouri
|heightft=6
|heightin=5
|weight=345
|debutyear=2001
|debutteam=Baltimore Ravens
|college=[[Tennessee State University|Tennessee State]]
|undraftedyear=2000
|draftround=
|draftpick=
|pastteams=<nowiki></nowiki>
* St. Louis Rams (2000) *
* [[Chicago Enforcers]] (2001)
* Baltimore Ravens (2001-2004)
* Buffalo Bills (2005)
* Miami Dolphins (2006)
:<small>*Offseason and/or practice squad member only</small>
|nfl=289072
}}
{{Refimprove|date=November 2012}}
'''Bennie Tyron Lamar Anderson''' (born February 17, 1977) is an [[American football]] [[offensive guard]] who currently is a free agent. He most recently played for the [[Miami Dolphins]], and [[college football|collegiately]] at [[Tennessee State University]].

==High school and college careers==
Anderson attended [[Cleveland Junior Naval Academy]] in [[St. Louis, Missouri]] where he was an all-district performer.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=ANDERBEN01|title=Bennie Anderson|publisher= databaseFootball.com |accessdate= November 10, 2012}}</ref>

He was a four-year letterman at Tennessee State<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AndeBe20.htm|title= Bennie Anderson |publisher= Pro-Football-Reference.Com |accessdate= November 10,  2012}}</ref> (1996–99) where he started 43 of the 45 games in which he played during his career. He was a first-team All-[[Ohio Valley Conference]] pick as a both a junior and senior, when he also earned the school’s leadership award by the “Tree Coaches” (Tennessee State alumni coaches who sit under a tree watching practice).He was a first-team Black College [[All-America]] pick as a senior in 1999.

==Professional career==
===2000===
Anderson was initially signed by the [[St. Louis Rams]] in 2000 as an undrafted rookie [[free agent]]. He was waived by the team on July 19 and spent rest of the year out of football.

===2001===
Anderson resurfaced with the Chicago Enforcers of the now defunct [[XFL]] in the spring of 2001. He started at right guard for the Enforcers the entire season, paving the way for former [[NFL]] running backs [[LeShon Johnson]] and [[John Avery (football player)|John Avery]] (also a former first-round pick by the Miami Dolphins).

Later that year, Anderson would go on to play in all 16 regular season games with 13 starts at right guard for the [[Baltimore Ravens]]. After seeing action in a reserve role in the first two regular season games, he made the first start of his NFL career at the [[Denver Broncos]] on September 30 as the Ravens rushed for 112 yards and the line did not allow a sack in a 20-13 victory. Anderson also opened both playoff games.

===2002===
Anderson started all 16 games at right guard for the Ravens in 2002. He was one of only three Ravens offensive players to start all 16 games that year. He was part of a line that led the way for a running game that averaged 112.0 yards per contest and put together a 4.2-yard average per attempt as [[running back]] [[Jamal Lewis]] rushed for 1,327 yards and reached the 100-yard rushing mark in five games.

===2003===
Anderson opened all 15 regular season games in which he played at right guard for the Ravens in 2003. He dressed but did not play in the finale against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]].  He was part of a line that paved the way for Jamal Lewis, who put together the second-best individual rushing performance in NFL history with 2,066 yards. Anderson also opened first-round playoff game against the [[Tennessee Titans]] on January 3, 2004.

===2004===
In his final season with the Ravens, Anderson played in all 16 contests, including 12 starts at right guard. He also saw action at left guard during the course of the season. He was an integral part of a line that led a running game which averaged 128.9 yards per contest and allowed 2.2 sacks an outing. Behind the line, running backs Jamal Lewis (4) and [[Chester Taylor]] (2) combined for six 100-yard rushing games.

===2005===
After the Ravens signed free agent offensive guard [[Keydrick Vincent]] from the Pittsburgh Steelers in early 2005, it became clear they had no interest in re-signing Anderson. He signed a with the Buffalo Bills on March 19. The contract was a three-year deal worth $5.1 million. It also featured a $400,000 bonus if he met certain playing-time incentives.

Anderson started 15 of the 16 games in which he appeared at left guard for the Bills. The only game he did not open was against the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] on November 13, when he was replaced by [[Mike Williams (offensive lineman)|Mike Williams]] after struggling with pass protection. Anderson re-assumed the role after Williams was injured on November 27. During the year, Anderson was part of a line that led the way for running back [[Willis McGahee]], who compiled his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season with 1,247 yards.

===2006===
Anderson was expected to have the edge on the starting left guard position for the Bills in 2006, but was waived by the team on June 9. On June 15, he signed a to a two-year contract with the Miami Dolphins. The move reunited him with [[Mike Mularkey]], who was the head coach for the Bills in 2004 and 2005 before becoming the offensive coordinator in Miami.

He initially assumed the starting right guard job after injuries to [[Seth McKinney]] and rookie [[Joe Toledo]]. Anderson started the first two games of the regular season at right guard before being injured on September 17 against his former team, the Buffalo Bills. The injury, which proved to be a torn triceps, landed Anderson on Injured Reserve. He was replaced by [[Kendyl Jacox]] and later [[L.J. Shelton]] at right guard.

==Personal==
Bennie is married with three sons. He earned a degree in history at Tennessee State and has subsequently obtained his teaching certificate. He has said he would like to get into a career in education following his playing days, possibly even starting his own school in St. Louis, Missouri. Bennie is currently a lineman coach for Elite Football Academy of Chesterfield, Missouri.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}} 
*[http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/team/roster/playerBio.asp?docid=21332 Miami Dolphins Bio]
*[http://www.elitefootball.net/coaches.html]

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{{Persondata
| NAME              = Anderson, Bennie
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American football player
| DATE OF BIRTH     = February 17, 1977
| PLACE OF BIRTH    = St. Louis, Missouri
| DATE OF DEATH     =
| PLACE OF DEATH    =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Bennie}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:American football offensive guards]]
[[Category:Baltimore Ravens players]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bills players]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Tennessee State Tigers football players]]
[[Category:Miami Dolphins players]]