Benjamin Westmoreland

Benjamin Westmoreland

**Benjamin Dwayne Westmoreland** (born January 1, 2005), nicknamed "**Bigger Ben**", is a former American professional running back who played for the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, and Minnesota Vikings. He won three AP NFL MVP Awards, three Super Bowls, a Super Bowl MVP, six Offensive Player of the Year Awards, and three NFC Championships. Westmoreland is often regarded as the best running back in NFL history because of his records including most rushing yards and touchdowns in a single career, most rushing yards and touchdowns in a single season, and most rushing yards and touchdowns in a single game. Westmoreland is also arguably the best overall player in NFL history, often debated with former NFL quarterback Benedict Westmoreland IV. Westmoreland is part of the Westmoreland football dynasty, a dynasty made up of the Westmoreland family, which is regarded as the best family dynasty in football history.

Benjamin Westmoreland was named to 14 Pro Bowls, the most of any NFL player in NFL history and the only player to be named to the Pro Bowl every year they were active. He has won the most MVP Awards out of any running back who has ever played in the NFL.

Westmoreland was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. After two years with the team, he was signed by the San Francisco 49ers and remained there for seven more years before being signed by the Minnesota Vikings. He remained with the Vikings for five years before retiring from the NFL at the age of 36. He is enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, Arizona Cardinals Hall of Fame, San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame, Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame, and the University of Tennessee's Ring of Honor.

Westmoreland was the victim of an attempted murder, where he was shot in the leg in Oakland in 2033. The suspect was imprisoned and Westmoreland recovered. The suspect is a victim of hatred and death threats, as Westmoreland fans visit his prison and scrutinize him. The suspect, Ali Tusken, has since been released.

Westmoreland has received media scrutiny because of his constant taunting and controversial actions. When he raised a middle finger at a Chicago Bears fan in the stands, he was suspended for two NFL games and was nearly released by the 49ers for his alleged actions out of MetLife Stadium, where he used vulgar language against former NFL safety Marcus Williams.

He was diagnosed with aphasia in 2042. He has requested that at his death he would be buried at Cliftstone Cemetery outside in San Francisco, stating "I have a special place in my heart for San Francisco." His father, Benedict Westmoreland V, wants to be buried with Benjamin.

## Early years

Westmoreland was born in Oakland, California, the son of Pizacca Berlusconi and Benedict Westmoreland V. He attended Elon High School in Elon, Tennessee, where he played high school football and basketball for the Elon Chargers. During Westmoreland's time at Elon High School, he won a state championship and rushed for the third-most rushing yards and touchdowns in high school football history.

The Westmoreland family moved to Memphis soon after Benjamin's birth, and him and Benedict VI selected the University of Tennessee for their college career.

## College career

#### 2023 season

Westmoreland accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he played for coach Emmitt Smith (not to be confused with the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back) for three seasons (2023-2025). His performance in Week 1 of college career led to him being named the starting running back for the Tennessee Volunteers for the rest of the time he commits. He rushed for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns in the opener. In Week 8, he ran for 172 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Although Westmoreland did not break the 1000-rushing yard barrier, he rushed for a pleasurable 936 yards and 19 touchdowns.

#### 2024 season

Westmoreland and the Volunteers began very strong after Westmoreland rushed for 235 yards and four touchdowns in the season opener, a Volunteer single-game rushing record. During Week 8 of the college football regular season, Westmoreland suffered a full ACL tear, but still finished the season with more rushing yards than 2023, at 1,235.

His injury ended up sidelining him for the rest of the 2024 season.

#### 2025 season

Westmoreland had to be sidelined until Week 7 of the college football season, and came back strong with a 201 yard performance. He finished the season with 484 rushing yards because of his limited playtime, and this is often regarded as the reason Westmoreland was not drafted in the first round. His injury impacted his draft placement.

At the end of the 2025 season, Benjamin and Benedict VI declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

## Professional career

### Arizona Cardinals (2026-2027)

#### 2026 season

In the 2026 NFL Draft the Arizona Cardinals were considering drafting running back Zaven Lloyd out of UCLA, but traded up with the Pittsburgh Steelers to acquire the 100th pick in the draft. According to multiple NFL insiders, the Cardinals were seconds away from drafting Lloyd over Westmoreland, but head coach Kliff Kingsbury ultimately changed their mind. The Arizona Cardinals selected Benjamin Westmoreland out of Tennessee with the 100th pick, while the San Francisco 49ers selected his brother Benedict Westmoreland VI in the first round with the 12th overall pick. After a successful preseason, he won the starting position for running back over NFL veteran Eno Benjamin.

Both of the Westmoreland brothers had superb rookie performances. Benjamin posted 1,938 yards rushing, 23 touchdowns rushing, 634 yards receiving, and 3 receiving touchdowns. The Westmoreland brother rivalry was prominent during Benjamin's time with the Cardinals, because the 49ers were in the same division as the Cardinals and therefore they played against each other twice a season. *NFL Network, ESPN,* and *NBC Sports* crowned Benjamin as the "clear" winner of the rivalry because of his performace.

The Cardinals' Week 7 Thursday Night Football game against the Los Angeles Chargers was Benjamin's breakout NFL game. He posted 247 yards and four touchdowns, leading his team to a 55-21 point victory. He was named NFL Offensive Player of the Week because of his performance against the Chargers. This game is often regarded as the reason Westmoreland ended up winning his Offensive Player of the Year award and his Pro Bowl appearance.

Benjamin Westmoreland finished third in the AP NFL MVP race.

#### 2027 season: First AP NFL MVP and first Super Bowl MVP

During the 2026-2027 offseason, there were rumors of Benjamin forcing himself off the Cardinals roster to play with his brother Benedict VI in San Francisco. Though the rumors were never declined, Benjamin Westmoreland remained in Arizona for the 2027 season.

His decision to remain as an Arizona Cardinal ended up being a good one, as he shattered Adrian Peterson's single-season rushing yard record with 2,234 yards on the ground during the 2027 season. The only two games the Cardinals lost were in Week 3 - 4 against the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings, respectively, and the losses were very clearly caused by Westmoreland's injury during this time. He came back to the game in Week 5 and carried his team his team to the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with a 15-2 record on the year. He won AP NFL MVP for his 2,234 yards and 18 touchdowns in rushing.

In the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs, Westmoreland rushed for 123 yards and one touchdown in his playoff debut against the Green Bay Packers. The Cardinals nearly lost, but quarterback Kyler Murray led the Cardinals to a game-winning drive and the team ended up winning 24 - 21, henceforth moving forward to the NFC Championship. In the NFC Championship against the Carolina Panthers, Westmoreland rushed for 186 yards and three touchdowns and achieved the game winning score in the overtime thriller. The Cardinals won the game 39 - 32.

In Super Bowl LXII against the Tennessee Titans, Westmoreland ran for 217 yards and three touchdowns and the Cardinals earned their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history 45 - 38, largely because of Westmoreland. Benjamin Westmoreland was subsequently named Super Bowl MVP for his performance. Westmoreland became the eleventh player in NFL history to be named NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP in the same season.

### San Francisco 49ers (2028-2034)

#### 2028-2029 seasons: Change of scenery and union with brother, injury plague

Westmoreland became an NFL free agent after his contract expired with the Arizona Cardinals at the end of the 2027 season. There was speculation that Westmoreland refused to sign any extension or contract with Cardinals because he wanted to play with his brother Benedict VI. He entered free agency assuming he would receive an offer from the 49ers because of their poor running back situation. It was discovered that the Cardinals allegedly offered Westmoreland a five-year, $83 million extension, which would've made him the highest-paid running back in the NFL, but he declined and chose a eight-year, $104 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Benjamin had united with his brother Benedict Westmoreland VI for the first time since college.

There was a lot of build-up to San Francisco's 2028 season, as they were early Super Bowl favorites. Benjamin rushed for 146 yards in the season opener, with him and Benedict VI leading the team to a 24 - 21 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. In Week 3, dubbed the "Return of Big Ben" because it was against the Arizona Cardinals, Benjamin rushed for 122 yards and one touchdown and the team ended up losing to the Cardinals 18 - 22 in a highly-anticipated matchup.

The season was largely disappointing for the San Francisco 49ers and the Westmoreland brothers, as they missed the playoffs as the third team in their division to the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals. Benjamin finished the season with 1,644 yards on the ground, 16 touchdowns rushing, 223 yards receiving with 2 touchdowns through the air. Benedict VI was productive, but he led the team to a 9-8 record and they narrowly missed the playoffs.

Many NFL insiders were speculating the Westmoreland brothers would request a mega trade out of San Francisco after the poor year, but it never happened. During the 2029 season, Westmoreland was injured on the second play of Week 11. It was discovered he suffered an full ACL tear and he missed the entire rest of the season. He still made the Pro Bowl with his injury.

#### Bounceback 2030 season: Second AP NFL MVP, second Super Bowl championship

Westmoreland received international attention after he broke Adrian Peterson's single game rushing yard-record when he ran for 297 yards and six touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. Multiple NFL analysts were extremely surprised by his performance because of his ACL injury, and Cole Pfeffer named it the "Surprise of the Season". Westmoreland also broke the 200 yard rushing block against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3 when he ran for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Westmoreland finished the season with 2,122 yards and 23 rushing touchdowns alongside 392 yards and 3 touchdowns in the air. The San Francisco 49ers finished the season 11-6 largely because of the Westmoreland brothers and earned the fitfh seed in the NFL NFC Wild Card round.

In the Wild Card matchup against the Chicago Bears, Westmoreland once again broke Adrian Peterson's old record as he ran for a whopping 303 yards and five touchdowns in the 55-31 victory over the Bears. After this game, multiple NFL analysts flat out called him "the best player in NFL history" with one person saying "exit Tom Brady, enter Benjamin Westmoreland." He broke tackles on nearly every play he ran, and he also ran for over ten yards on every single rushing play attempted. The NFL world was in honest shock. The 49ers reached the Divisional Round to face the No. 1 seeded New Orleans Saints, with Westmoreland rushing for 217 yards and three touchdowns in their victory over the Saints. He had been named Offensive Player of the Week for five weeks in a row now, an NFL record. As the 49ers reached the NFC Championship for the first time since 2021 when they faced the Los Angeles Rams, they faced the same opponent again and won the game narrowly 34 - 28 in overtime. Westmoreland made the final score. He had 164 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. With this game, Westmoreland had now broken John Riggins for the most rushing yards in a single postseason. The 49ers were getting to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2019 season.

Westmoreland was named AP NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts during the season. He was now one MVP award away from tying the running back MVP record. In Super Bowl LXV, Benjamin Westmoreland rushed for 96 yards and one touchdown, but his brother Benedict threw for 432 yards and four touchdowns. The 49ers defeated the Tennessee Titans 38-35 in the thriller. The game is known for the final play, when the 49ers received the ball with three seconds left on the clock from their own 32 yard line. They needed a miracle in one play. Quarterback Benedict Westmoreland VI threw to Brandon Aiyuk, who lateraled it to Ray-Ray McCloud, who lateraled it to Jauan Jennings, who lateraled it to Benjamin Westmoreland and the ball finally reached the endzone. The play was referred to as the "65 Miracle" or the "Westmoreland Wonder". Benedict Westmoreland VI was named Super Bowl MVP following the game.

Following the season, Benjamin announced he would play with the 49ers for the remaining years on his contract.

#### 2031 season: Average stats, 2-game suspension, and controversy with Marcus Williams

Westmoreland lit the world up in Week 1 with 162 yards on the ground to go along with three touchdowns, but he finished the season with 1,398 yards and sixteen touchdowns on the ground. The team finished 12 - 5 even with Westmoreland's average running back play, and narrowly finished with the No. 1 seed over the Washington Commanders. Benedict Westmoreland VI was excellent during the season, throwing for 5,126 yards and 48 touchdowns, along with only 7 interceptions. This earned Benedict VI the AP NFL MVP award following the season.

After Week 13 of the regular season, Benjamin Westmoreland used vulgar language against New York Giants safety Marcus Williams outside of MetLife Stadium for his supposed comments of racial slurs against Benjamin's brother Benedict VI. The NFL investigated the situation and Marcus Williams was suspended for the rest of the season, but the NFL and Benjamin Westmoreland were receiving critisicism for their actions. Many people wanted Westmoreland suspended for his response.

The 49ers were against the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs, and Benjamin Westmoreland was incredible with 176 yards and four touchdowns, leading to their win over the Bears 35-21. However, Westmoreland was ejected from the game after he gave the double bird to a Bears fan in the stands and was subsequently suspended for the NFC Championship game and the Super Bowl. Westmoreland received media scrutiny for his actions, but also received scrutiny for tweeting "She got what she deserved.", referring to his actions during the Divisional Round game.

The 49ers ended up winning the NFC Championship against the Philadelphia Eagles and approached Super Bowl LXVI against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They lost the game 21-24.

#### 2032 season: Average stats, fake sexual assault allegations, 49ers missing playoffs

Westmoreland rushed for 175 yards in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals, 156 yards in Week 6 against the New York Jets, 153 yards in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals, 112 yards in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions, and 106 yards in Week 13 against the Green Bay Packers. He finished the season with 1,412 rushing yards, twenty rushing touchdowns, 372 receiving yards, and 2 receiving touchdowns. He also had one punt return for a touchdown and one kickoff return for a touchdown. The 49ers missed the playoffs at 8-9 and finished second place in their division. After Week 18, when the 49ers lost and failed a playoff berth, Westmoreland tweeted "no comment" and received critisicism from multiple NFL players. Many people thought he needed a "humbling lesson" and a "thankfulness session".

Following the season, a woman named Rebecca Porter came out and said Westmoreland had sexually assaulted her during his visit to Houston in 2030. Westmoreland later said that he "would never touch or treat a woman inappropriately. I am a very dumb person, but I am not so dumb that I would do such a mindless act. I love and support every woman who has ever roamed the Earth. The allegations by young Rebecca Porter are entirely false." The case was investigated and law enforcement found evidence that Porter had lied about the allegations. She was charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor for filing a false police report and was in jail for nearly two months.

Westmoreland made the Pro Bowl for the 2032 season.

#### 2033 season: Offseason attempted assassination, average stats, missing playoffs

Early in the 2032-2033 season, Manson Libertalia attempted to murder Westmoreland in his visit to Oakland, California to family. Libertalia failed, and was charged and imprisoned for attempted murder. He was booked into Oakland Detention Center before transferring to the Sacramento State Prison, a max-security prison in Sacramento, California. Westmoreland spawned a famous quote following the shooting: "Shoot me all you want. You may kill my physical being, but you won't kill my spirit."

Westmoreland's starting job was on thin ice because of his shot taken to the leg, but it recovered quickly and he started Week 1. His most prominent performance was his 234 yard-four touchdown game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14. he also put up 147 yards against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5. The San Francisco 49ers finished third in their division at 7 - 10, and they missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year while Westmoreland was named to the Pro Bowl once again.

Westmoreland was named NFC Offensive Player of the Year because of his performance in 2033, but finished 13th in the AP NFL MVP race. The Seattle Seahawks ended up winning Super Bowl LXVIII against the Las Vegas Raiders. The San Francisco 49ers were looking for a bounceback season, signing wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, tackle Penei Sewell, safety Ahmad Gardner, and cornerback Ellis Robinson IV out of free agency. The 49ers broke the money-spending record in the free agency during the offseason of 2033.

#### 2034 season: Third AP NFL MVP, second Super Bowl MVP, third Super Bowl championship

In Week 1 of the 2034 season, Benjamin Westmoreland rushed for 213 yards and three touchdowns against the Washington Commanders, proving he had returned to a pro-caliber running back. In Week 2 he rushed for 127 yards and in Week 3 he ran for 182 yards along with one touchdown. Benjamin Westmoreland finished the regular season with 2,022 rushing yards, 22 rushing touchdowns, 333 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns. His performance led to him being named to his third AP NFL MVP award, tying with Jim Brown for most MVP awards by a running back in the history of the NFL.

San Francisco had reached the playoffs with the No. 1 seed being undefeated at 17-0, and they were the lopsided Super Bowl LXIX favorites. With the No. 7 seeded Atlanta Falcons upsetting the No. 2 seeded Green Bay Packers, they were destined for failure in Levi's Stadium. San Francisco ended the Falcons' cinderella run with a victory of 42 - 35, so the 49ers reached the NFC Championship once again. In the NFC Championship against the No. 5 seeded Minnesota Vikings, Benjamin Westmoreland rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns, leading the 49ers and Vikings to overtime and getting the game-winning score against the Vikings and winning the 49ers the game at 17 - 13, leading the 49ers to Super Bowl LXIX.

In Super Bowl LXIX against the Baltimore Ravens, who were led by 38 year-old veteran quarterback Lamar Jackson, Benjamin Westmoreland made the game look easy with 232 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to go along with 47 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. Westmoreland led the 49ers to a Super Bowl LXIX victory, 42 - 28. Westmoreland was given his second Super Bowl MVP award, becoming the first running back in NFL history to do so.

After the Super Bowl LXIX victory and at the victory press conference, Westmoreland stated that his "future in the NFL is up in the air" and stated that he's "done everything needed". He said he would announce his decision online before free agency. 2034 was the last year on Westmoreland's contract with the 49ers and he was 30 years old, but most people assumed he would either retire or resign to continue playing with his brother. The Westmoreland brothers had become one of the most famous duos in the NFL.

On 28 February, 2035, Westmoreland's agent announced that he had signed with the Minnesota Vikings on a six-year, $90 million contract. He stated that he was "proud to play with quarterback Innis Antestin in Minneapolis." The move shocked the NFL world, as many people believed he would stay playing with his brother for the rest of his career, but they were proved wrong. Benjamin Westmoreland was named the starting running back for the Minnesota Vikings' 2035 season and Innis Atestin was named the stating quarterback for the 2035 season, even with rumors that Benedict Westmoreland VI was to be dealt from San Francisco to Minnesota at some point during the offseason.

### Minnesota Vikings (2035-2039)

#### 2035 season: Weak statistically, but incredible performance in a return to Levi's

In Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, Westmoreland ran for 86 yards and one touchdown. His stats were relatively weak-average for most of the season. It was a disappointment for the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL world. He finished the season with 1,385 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns, 312 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, 2 kickoff returns, and 1 punt return. The Minnesota Vikings finished first in the NFC North division with a 10-7 record, being awarded the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and being destined to face Westmoreland's former team, the No. 6 seeded San Francisco 49ers.

Benjamin Westmoreland's game against the San Francisco 49ers was highly anticipated and had the third-most viewers out of any broadcast in NBC history. It was the most watched Wild Card NFL game ever. The San Francisco 49ers had gone 10-7, just like the Vikings, and were actually the favorites in the game. Westmoreland shocked the NFL world when he rushed for a superb 263 yards and five touchdowns, showing no remorse in his return. Even with his performance, Innis Antestin only threw one touchdown and the game entered overtime at 45 all over.

In overtime, the Viking defense let up a touchdown and an extra point, leaving the Vikings with 1:12 to play and get one touchdown and another extra point to go into 2OT. after a failed completion and two sacks, the Vikings were faced with a practical 4th-and-97 yard play. It would require a miracle that had never happened in an NFL game. Innis Antestin faced instant pressure and dumped it off to Westmoreland at the 4-yard line, who stiff armed linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, broke the tackles of cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and safety Derwin James, and trucked safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Before the world knew it, the Vikings were one step away from a Wild Card miracle. Facing a possible tackle from veteran Adrian Guerra, he double-spin moved to evade a tackle and scored on the final play of 1OT. The play is often called "The Spin" or "The Forty-Nightmare".

The Vikings kicked the extra point to force 2OT and the Vikings got a crucial stop at the beginning of the second period. The Vikings were given great field position and Benjamin Westmoreland ended up rushing for a 47-yard touchdown to end the football game. The Minnesota Vikings won 58 - 52, making it the second-highest scoring NFL game of all time, with 110 overall points put on the board. It is often regarded as the greatest football game of all time, making the highly-anticipated game also a legendary game. It would never be forgotten.

The Vikings now faced the No. 2 seeded 13 - 4 Washington Commanders. In this game, Benjamin Westmoreland rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns, an admirable performace, but the Vikings ended up packing their bags after losing 24 - 28 in overtime.

Westmoreland made the Pro Bowl following the 2035 season.

#### 2036 season: Weak playoff performance

Before the 2036 season began Benjamin Westmoreland's brother Benedict Westmoreland VI was traded from the San Francisco 49ers to the Cleveland Browns. There were instant rumors that the Westmorelands were trying to unite in Cleveland, but Benedict immediately rejected the proposals, saying "I went to the Browns for myself, not for my brother. I don't care where he goes." Benjamin Westmoreland was named the starting running back of the Minnesota Vikings two weeks before the regular season began.

In Week 4 of the regular season against the Dallas Cowboys, Westmoreland got a game winning touchdown reception with three seconds left in the game. It was a leaping catch over veteran cornerback Trevon Diggs. Westmoreland finished the game with 176 yards rushing, 2 touchdowns rushing, 53 yards receiving, and a receiving touchdown. The Vikings narrowly won the game 28 - 27. *ESPN* and *NFL Network* noted the game as the best game of the 2036 regular season. Westmoreland finished the season with 1,408 rushing yards, 19 rushing touchdowns, 322 receiving yards, and 3 receiving touchdowns.

The Vikings had received the No. 5 seed in the NFL playoffs with a 10 - 7 record. They faced the No. 4 seeded 10 - 7 New York Giants in the Wild Card round. Benjamin Westmoreland immediately showed he was not ready for the playoffs of 2036. He fumbled on the opening offensive play and it resulted in the Vikings being down 0 - 7. Benjamin Westmoreland continued to be ineffective and unable to find his place in the Vikings offense, only rushing for 47 yards and no touchdowns in the Wild Card round game. The Vikings were eliminated from the playoffs, losing to the Giants.

Westmoreland was named to the Pro Bowl following the 2036 season.

#### 2037-2039 seasons: Downfall of Benjamin Westmoreland and retirement

Regression was immediately noticed after the first game of the 2037 season in Westmoreland. He finished the season with 1,287 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, along with 297 receiving yards and 1 receiving touchdown. He finished 2038 with 1,129 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, along with 278 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. His final season was undoubtably the worst of his career. He finished the 2029 season with a mere 936 rushing yards along with 12 rushing touchdowns, while having 222 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl in each of his three final seasons, but he was not the elite Hall-of-Fame level Benjamin Westmoreland he once was.

At the end of the 2039 season, it was speculated that Westmoreland was planning to retire after 14 seasons in the NFL at the age of 36. Most NFL analysts regarded him as the best running back in NFL history following his official announcement. He signed a 1-day, $1 contract with the San Francisco 49ers to end his career. He finished his career with an NFL record 21,222 rushing yards and an NFL record 259 rushing touchdowns. He was also named AP NFL MVP three times and won the Super Bowl thrice. He was awarded Super Bowl MVP in two of those games.

Benjamin Westmoreland was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame following his retirement.