Former NFL Great Now Turned Cupcake Franchisee Brian Orakpo Makes Special Version to Honor Cedric Benson
Sunday morning, the football community awoke to the tragic news that former Chicago Bears and [...]
Sunday morning, the football community awoke to the tragic news that former Chicago Bears and Texas Longhorns running back Cedric Benson had died. The 36-year-old had been involved in a motorcycle wreck late on Saturday night. This news was devastating to those that had watched Benson perform throughout his career, as well as those that had played with him in college or in the NFL.
Dozens of figures shared their memories of him as a form of grieving on Sunday, and now former NFL linebacker Brian Orakpo is working to honor his memory in a different way. The defender-turned-baker posted a video on Instagram Monday, showing that his shop, Gigi's Cupcakes, was in the process of making special treats to honor Benson.
As Orakpo explained, he would be giving out cupcakes for free to those that attended the University of Texas in Austin.
"In memory of our fallen brother Cedric Benson aka Ced B. we will be giving out 32 Cedric Benson cupcakes FOR FREE TODAY in honor of him! All we ask for is proper verification of you either attending or graduated from the University of Texas. Hope to see you all soon HOOK EM!!!!" Orakpo wrote in the caption.
Each of the cupcakes featured a photo of Benson, along with burnt orange frosting and buttercream flavoring. As he explained, these were nice wedding cake flavors, and they reflected Benson's time at UT.
Benson shined during his time at the University of Texas, finishing his collegiate career as the sixth-leading rusher in NCAA history with 5,540 rushing yards. He played for the Longhorns for four seasons (2001-2004) and topped 1,000 rushing yards every single season. Benson also finished as the second-leading rusher in Texas history. The consensus All-American won the 2004 Doak Walker Award, an honor that is given to the top running back in college football.
Orakpo entered the University of Texas the year after Benson departed for the Chicago Bears (2005), so he didn't have the experience of playing with the talented running back. However, the future Titans and Redskins defender knew how much Benson meant to the school and the city in general, and he just wants to honor his memory. If providing free cupcakes to UT students is the best way to achieve the goal, then so be it.