Travis Benjamin
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TRAVIS BENJAMIN WR 5-10 × 175 × MIAMI 17 12.29.89 × BELLE GLADE, FL × 9TH YEAR × ACQUIRED FA IN ‘20 AWARDS & HONORS 2012: AFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 14) BENJAMIN’S GOLDEN NUGGETS 2013: AFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 5) 2015: AFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 2) • Lettered two years in track & field at Glades Central (Belle 2017: AFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 7) Glade, FL) HS. Ran the 100-meter dash along with the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Also ran track at Miami. GOLDMINE • Comes from a family of athletes, as younger brother, Troy • NFL players had the opportunity to participate in the NFL’s annual Stewart, played collegiately at Bethune-Cookman. Benjamin’s My Cause, My Cleats campaign during a designated home game cousin, Alphonso Marshall, played CB for the Chicago Bears between Weeks 13-15 of 2018. Benjamin and his teammates repre- from 2004-05. sented their respective causes with custom-designed cleats in an • As a child, one of Benjamin’s nicknames was ‘Rabbit,’ because effort to raise awareness and funding. Benjamin raised awareness he would chase rabbits that were escaping from burning cane for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. In 2018, he served as the Hon- fields. He credits the practice for his speed and agility. He esti- orary Race Chair for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Or- mates that he’s caught about 10 over the years. “It is a special ange County. Benjamin also co-hosted the Susan G. Komen Race feeling when you catch that first one,” he said. for the Cure in 2016 in San Diego. He has been active in breast cancer awareness and research since the start of his career, as his • When he and his wife, Africa, got mother and grandmother are survivors. married in the summer of 2016, the couple had two ceremonies back in Miami, Florida: an American wed- ding and a traditional African wed- ding to honor Africa, who is Eritre- an. “I respect her family and they respect me,” Benjamin said. “And when she came to me and said we have to do the traditional African wedding, I was all in.” • Benjamin grew up in Florida and became a fan of freshwater fishing at an early age. GOLDMINE (CONTINUED) • Growing up, Benjamin was raised primarily by his mother, Cynthia, • In June of 2017, Benjamin hosted the Travis Benjamin Youth Foot- and his grandmother, Jacquelyn. Cynthia worked hard to raise her ball camp in his hometown of Belle Glade, Florida, which allowed family, and sometimes held multiple jobs to provide for her three over 200 young football players to improve their skills with the kids. “My mother is my inspiration,” Benjamin said. “She gave me help of other Belle Glade NFL players. The free camp also gave out a mindset that the only way you get where you want is with hard a free backpack with school supplies to each child in attendance. work. We never wanted to let her down.” He grew close with his “I love working with kids, knowing I was at that point in my life at grandmother, Jacquelyn, who was always in the kitchen. Eventu- one time where I needed help,” said Benjamin. “Coming from here, ally, he could be the one found making the meals for the family. everyone wants to play football, and the work and the grind you “When my mom and grandma were at work, I was the chef,” said put into it pays off.” Benjamin. The tight-knit family grew closer, as Benjamin learned his grandmother was battling breast cancer. “It started out when I was in high school. My grandma had it first,” said Benjamin. “She was diagnosed two times with breast cancer, but God bless her, because she’s beaten it.” The reprieve was shortlived, as Benja- min’s mother, Cynthia, was diagnosed with the same form of can- cer. “As I got toward college, either my freshman or sophomore year, my mom was diagnosed with it.” After enduring treatment and chemotherapy, Cynthia was deemed cancer free to the relief of her family. “Those women are very strong. I think they’re the toughest of the tough because their bodies change and their lives change. But (now they get to) wake up each and every morning knowing that God has given them another day to live.” 2020 MEDIA GUIDE 157 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS BENJAMIN’S CAREER STATISTICS RECEIVING RUSHING YEAR TEAM GP GS NO YDS AVG LG TD ATT YDS AVG LG TD 2012 CLE 14 2 18 298 16.6 69t 2 6 66 11.0 35 0 2013 CLE 8 3 5 105 21.0 39 0 1 45 45.0 45 0 2014 CLE 16 0 18 314 17.4 43 3 3 11 3.7 10 0 2015 CLE 16 15 68 966 14.2 61 5 4 12 3.0 10 0 2016 SD 14 8 47 677 14.4 54 4 2 -3 -1.5 -1 0 2017 LAC 16 3 34 567 16.7 62t 4 13 96 7.4 22 0 2018 LAC 12 3 12 186 15.5 46t 1 7 41 5.9 19 0 2019 LAC 5 2 6 30 5.0 13 0 0 0 - - 0 TOTALS 101 36 208 3,143 15.1 69t 19 36 268 7.4 45 0 PLAYOFFS RECEIVING RUSHING YEAR TEAM GP GS NO YDS AVG LG TD ATT YDS AVG LG TD 2018 LAC 2 0 3 11 3.7 8 0 0 0 - - 0 TOTALS 2 0 3 11 3.7 8 0 0 0 - - 0 Additional Statistics: Fumbles - Lost - 15-8: 2012 (1-1); 2013 (2-1); 2014 (2-1); 2015 (3-2); 2016 (5-3); 2017 (2-0) Fumble Recoveries - 2: 2012 (1); 2014 (1) Special Teams Fumble Recoveries - 5: 2013 (1); 2014 (1); 2015 (1); 2017 (2) Tackles - 14: 2012 (2); 2013 (2); 2014 (1); 2015 (2); 2016 (4); 2017 (1); 2018 (1); 2019 (1) Forced Fumbles - 1: 2014 (1) Passing Attempts/Completions - 1/0: 2016 (1/0) Special Teams Tackles - 1: 2015 (1) Punt Returns - 109: 2012 (3); 2013 (22); 2014 (15); 2015 (28); 2016 (9); 2017 (27); 2018 (5) Punt Return Yards - 1,189: 2012 (149); 2013 (257); 2014 (127); 2015 (324); 2016 (59); 2017 (257); 2018 (16) Punts Returned for a TD - 4: 2012 (1); 2013 (1); 2015 (1); 2017 (1) Kickoff Returns - Regular Season - 19: 2012 (3); 2013 (3); 2014 (12); 2018 (1) Postseason - 1: 2018 (1) Kickoff Return Yards - Regular Season - 485: 2012 (86); 2013 (146); 2014 (246); 2018 (17) Postseason - 6: 2018 (6) Milestones: NFL Debut: vs. Phi. (9/9/12); First Start: at Den. (12/23/12); First Reception: Regular Season - vs. Phi. (9/9/12 - 12-yd. pass from QB Brandon Weeden); First TD Reception: Regular Season - vs. Buf. (9/23/12 - 22-yd. pass from QB Brandon Weeden); First Multi-TD Game: Regular Season - at Ten. (10/5/14 - 2 TDs); 100-yd. Games: Regular Season - 6, Last vs. KC (9/24/17 - 105 yds.); First Kickoff Return: Regular Season - at Bal. (9/27/12 - 24-yd. KOR); First Punt Return: Regular Season - at Bal. (9/27/12 - 40-yd. PR) BENJAMIN’S CAREER 100-YARD RECEIVING GAMES (6) Date Opp Rec Yds Avg TD Date Opp Rec Yds Avg TD 9/20/15 vs. Ten. 3 115 38.3 2 9/18/16 vs. Jax. 6 115 19.2 2 10/18/15 vs. Den. 9 117 13.0 0 10/9/16 at Oak. 7 117 16.7 0 11/15/15 at Pit. 7 113 16.1 0 9/24/17 vs. KC 5 105 21.0 0 BENJAMIN’S CAREER HIGHS Receptions: Regular Season - 9 vs. Den. (10/18/15); Postseason - 3 at Long Rush: Regular Season - 45 vs. Det. (10/13/13) Bal. (1/6/19) Punt Returns: Regular Season - 7 vs. Buf. (10/3/13) Receiving Yards: Regular Season - 117 (2 times) Last at Oak. (10/9/16); Punt Return Yards: Regular Season - 179 vs. Buf. (10/3/13) Postseason - 11 at Bal. (1/6/19) Long Punt Return: Regular Season - 93t vs. KC (12/9/12) Long Reception: Regular Season - 69t vs. Was. (12/16/12); Postseason - Kick Returns: Regular Season - 5 vs. Ind. (12/7/14); Postseason - 1 at 8 at Bal. (1/6/19) Bal. (1/6/19) TD Receptions: Regular Season - 2 (3 times) Last vs. Jax. (9/18/16) Kick Return Yards: Regular Season - 99 vs. Ind. (12/7/14); Postseason - Rushes: Regular Season - 2 (3 times) Last vs. Oak. (12/31/17) 6 at Bal. (1/6/19) Rushing Yards: Regular Season - 45 vs. Det. (10/13/13) Kick Return Long: Regular Season - 86 at GB. (10/20/13) BENJAMIN’S TRANSACTIONS Originally a 4th-round (100th overall) draft choice by Cle. in 2012...Placed on the Injured Reserve List on 10/30/13...Signed a four-year deal with SD on 3/10/16...Re-signed with LAC on a two-year contract on 4/15/19...Placed on the Injured Reserve List on 10/17/19...Signed a one-year deal with SF on 4/3/20... Placed on the Reserve/Opt-Out List on 8/5/20. 2020 MEDIA GUIDE 158 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 2019 (LOS ANGELES CHARGERS) 2013 (CLEVELAND) • Appeared in 5 games (2 starts) and recorded 6 recepts. for 30 yds. • Saw action in 8 games (3 starts) and recorded 5 recepts. for 105 before being placed on the Injured Reserve List on 10/17.