Benny Cunningham
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Cunningham in 2016 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 23 Los Angeles Rams | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth: | July 7, 1990 | ||||||||||||||
| Place of birth: | Nashville, Tennessee | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 217 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Madison (TN) Goodpasture Christian | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Middle Tennessee State | ||||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2013 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 5, 2016 | |||||||||||||||
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Benjamin Corey Cunningham (born July 7, 1990) is an American football running back for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Middle Tennessee State. He was signed by the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2013.[1]
Early years
Cunningham attended Madison (TN) Goodpasture Christian in Madison, Tennessee, where he was a letterman in football, basketball and track. In football, he rushed for 721 yards and 16 touchdowns on offense, while collecting 62 tackles and an interception on defense. As a senior, he rushed for a new school record 1,744 yards and 2,357 all purpose yards to go along with 29 touchdowns, leading Goodpasture to the state semifinals. He was named the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Class 2A Back for 2008, the TSWA All-State and the Region Player of the Year and was voted to the All-Southern Football Team by the Orlando Sentinel. He owns the school record in single-season rushing yards (1,744), career touchdowns (60), touchdowns in a game (five), touchdowns in a season (29), and all-purpose yards in a season (2,357) and career (4,611). He was also selected to play at the Tennessee East-West All-Star Game.
Also an standout track & field athlete, Cunningham was one of the state's top performers in the sprinting events. At the 2009 TSSAA State T&F Championships, he took gold in both the 100 meters, with a time of 10.6 seconds, and in the 200 meters, at 21.86 seconds. In addition, he competed in the 800 meter run event and was a member of the 4x100m relay squad. He also recorded a 4.39 40-yard dash in practice.[2]
Regarded only as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, Cunningham chose MTSU over scholarship offers from Miami (OH) and Tennessee Tech.[3]
College career
In 2010, Cunningham played in all 13 games and earned two starts and was fourth on the team with 355 rushing yards on 78 attempts to go with four touchdowns, and also had 16 receptions for 96 yards and returned 14 kickoffs for 364 yards (26.0). The previous season, in 2009, he saw action in 11 games and was third on the team with 173 yards rushing on 46 attempts and two touchdowns.
In 2012, he was voted Second-team All-SBC and named Third-team All-SBC by CollegeSportsMadness.com, despite playing in just five games, he had his most productive season with 600 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. In 2011, he played in eight games and had six starts and was second on the team in rushing yards, with 501 yards and four touchdowns while leading all backs with 17 receptions for 187 yards and a score.
Professional career
Cunningham was signed by the St. Louis Rams and made the 53-man roster September 1, 2013. For the season, he carried the ball 47 times for 261 yards (5.6 average) and a touchdown. He added six receptions for 59 yards in a backup role. Cunningham scored the first TD for the Los Angeles Rams in an August 13th, 2016 preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys.